Video: A Steering Wheel for Self-Driving Cars
Steve Mahan, who is blind, gestures for a steering wheel that doesn't exist inside a Waymo driverless car during a Google event, Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2016, in San Francisco. Eric Risberg/AP
This gives white-knuckle driving a new meaning.
As the market of self-driving cars continue to grow, the rules on what the interior of a vehicle should look like becomes less important. Should these driverless cars have a steering wheel for safety reasons? What will that steering wheel control.
As automakers grapple with these questions, some options are beginning to emerge. The Z4 steering wheel from Autoliv, which contains a series of infrared sensors throughout, which lets the car know when you're gripping the wheel, and when to cede control over to you. When you take your hands off the wheel, the car immediately takes over driving again.
These changes are communicated with vocal announcements and a system of colored lights, so it's clear what's going on.
To see the Z4 in action, check out the video below from Wired: