ZF introduces new steering wheel airbag design that enables smartphone-like functions with touchscreen, sensors
Airbags are now a staple passive safety device in passenger vehicles, with the assembly being introduced into automobiles in the 1980s. The steering wheel has since been completely reinvented, no not only serves the primary function of navigating the vehicle’s direction, but also provides an interface between the driver and the vehicle’s myriad functions.
Just a few months since launch Smart seat belt multi-stage load limiterAuto parts manufacturer ZF has announced its latest innovation in airbag technology with a new design that deploys the airbag away from the hub, inside the hub, as opposed to the traditional, raised-up position. front from the center of the steering wheel.
ZF’s new airbag design deploys the element from the top of the steering wheel center, between itself and the top of the steering wheel rim towards the driver. The company says this revised position gives the steering wheel a ‘seamless, smartphone-like design’, allowing force-sensitive controls so the car’s entertainment and assistance functions are integrated behind a continuous surface, the company said.
The component manufacturer is following the current trend of seamless design in vehicle interiors, where automakers are increasingly eliminating joints and gaps from interior spaces.
The growing popularity of display and ambient lighting setups in vehicle cabins is expected to continue to be applied to steering wheel design, along with greater integration of human-machine interface functions. will influence future steering wheel designs, and ZF’s new airbag design aims to facilitate these developments.
Touch technology can also be used as a safety device through a capacitive sensor placed under the leather cover of the steering wheel, which can detect whether the driver is just touching the steering wheel or gripping the steering wheel tightly.
Other possibilities enabled by freeing up the central space of the steering wheel include freely assignable controls, a touchscreen or even a central display with a pocket design, says ZF. new gas, ZF adds that hybrid solutions combining these components can be deployed.
Looking to sell your car? Sell it with carrot.
