With steering wheel or without? The future of autonomous driving under debate

Autonomous driving is a reality that is advancing inexorably towards us, and it is getting closer every day. Unfortunately, there is still a long way to go, and manufacturers continue to prepare their proposals, seeking the standard that will set the path for the rest of the industry to follow. The truth is that an agreement has yet to be reached to establish the rule that everyone must follow in order to give the technology the push it needs.

Now BMW has been the first to propose something that will surely not sit well with the entrepreneurs emerging around autonomous driving technology. Wieland Bruch, the company’s communications spokesperson, has just announced that the next BMW cars to feature this technology will still come with pedals and a steering wheel. In other words, BMW’s autonomous cars, even if they have level 4 and level 5 autonomous driving technology, will still retain the option of a human driver being in control.

And this is important, because it takes into account something that seems to be overlooked in the development of this type of vehicle. Many of us simply enjoy driving. This does not mean that there will be any obstacles or limits placed on the development of this kind of technology, but that small detail should not be forgotten: driving is a pleasure that must remain present in cars where part of the enjoyment lies not in the journey itself, but in making it actively.

The truth is that all cars in this category are more than a simple means of transport. They are cars meant to be enjoyed and to convey the experience of getting behind the wheel of one of them. For that reason, designers at brands such as BMW will not forget to place a steering wheel and pedals in the cabin. Being at the controls of a car with these characteristics matters to the driver, and this will remain a constant in BMW’s cars.

For example, we saw it in the BMW Vision Next 100, an electric concept car with autonomous driving technology and a very futuristic look, yet it had pedals and a steering wheel. This runs counter to the initiatives of other brands, such as Volkswagen, which not long ago presented its I.D. Vizzion Concept, which has neither of those two elements. A different way of seeing this technology, which will bring different ideas to how autonomous driving is developed. And you, what do you prefer? Autonomous cars with a steering wheel or without one?