Jaguar Land Rover has provide you with a novel answer to the issue of distracted drivers: a 'sensory' steering wheel that modifications temperature to inform you when it is time to flip.
Heated steering wheels have been round for years, making driving in winter a way more nice expertise, and JLR's wheel makes use of the identical know-how, quickly heating and cooling to offer an alternative choice to on-screen instructions that permits you to maintain your eyes on the street.
Whereas a few of JLR's current improvements have been a bit wacky (self-driving pods with googly eyes come to thoughts), the sensory steering wheel (created in partnership with Glasgow College) is a sensible answer to a significant issue.
In accordance with the United States Department of Transportation, distracted driving is chargeable for 10% of deadly automotive accidents within the US, and there is a hazard that trendy automobiles (that are typically fitted with large infotainment screens in preparation for absolutely autonomous driving) might worsen the issue.
A brand new course
Spoken instructions aren't useful in noisy conditions, and JLR's analysis has discovered that making the wheel vibrate might be too attention-grabbing.
"Analysis has proven individuals readily perceive the heating and cooling dynamics to indicate instructions and the subtlety of temperature change could be good for sure suggestions that doesn’t require a extra intrusive audio or vibration-based cue," stated Alexandros Mouzakitis, Jaguar Land Rover electrical analysis senior supervisor.
