The new sensory steering wheel from Jaguar Land Rover works like this

Jaguar Land Rover has developed a new sensory steering wheel which, according to the brand, will be able to help drivers keep their eyes on the road by using heat and cold to alert them when they need to make a manoeuvre to the left or to the right.

The new sensory steering wheel of Jaguar Land Rover was created from research carried out in collaboration with the University of Glasgow. The new steering wheel, which uses temperature to alert the driver to a change of direction, is able to heat up and cool down very quickly. In this way, according to the manufacturer, the driver will know when they are approaching a junction or need to change lane.

Jaguar Land Rover has stated that this function can be very useful when visibility is very reduced due to adverse weather conditions or even due to the condition of the road surface. The gear paddles have also had to be modified to indicate the handover of control in future cars with autonomous driving technologies.

According to the automotive group, “driver distractions cause a large number of traffic accidents around the world. The research carried out by Jaguar Land Rover suggests that thermal indications can be useful in helping drivers keep their full attention on the road”.

Sensory steering wheel of Jaguar Land Rover, how does it work?

The new sensory steering wheel of Jaguar Land Rover has specific zones that heat up or cool down quickly with a difference of up to six degrees to indicate the direction of turn to the driver. These zones are located on both sides of the wheel. It is important to highlight that the driver will be able to adjust the temperature change in order to “set the oscillation that is most pleasant for them”.

Alexandros Mouzakitis, electrical systems manager at Jaguar Land Rover, has pointed out that “safety is the number one priority for Jaguar Land Rover and we maintain our commitment to continue improving our vehicles with the latest technological advances, as well as paving the way for the future of autonomous driving”.

“The sensory steering wheel fits into this vision, since thermal indications can reduce the number of times the driver takes their eyes off the road. Research has shown that the dynamics of heating and cooling are easy to understand for giving step-by-step navigation instructions. In addition, a subtle change in temperature can be ideal for certain alerts that do not need audio warnings or more intrusive vibrations”.

Studies in which the manufacturer has taken part have shown that temperature-based instructions can also be used for non-urgent notifications where vibration could distract the driver. Jaguar Land Rover refers to alerts such as an empty fuel tank or points of interest.

It should be noted that the new Jaguar Land Rover “already incorporate a wide range of driver assistance systems aimed at improving safety, such as the HUD of the Range Rover Velar“.