End of the wheel? Hyundai is interested in joystick controls

In the transition from the striking Prophecy concept to the production car (Ioniq 6), Hyundai's streamlined and streamlined electric sedan has ditched its dual joysticks to make way for a more traditional steering wheel. However, a new patent unearthed by CarBuzz details how this system works, suggesting that it could become a reality in the foreseeable future.

Steering wheels take up a lot of space, visually and physically, so Hyundai is proposing a driver interface with double joystick to lighten the passenger compartment also with a view to future autonomous driving systems. Unlike the controls found in an airplane, for example, Hyundai's invention can only rotate in one direction, left or right. Furthermore, they are not presented as individual joysticks, but rather as handle-like controls hinged in the armrests.

The controls are linked to force feedback actuators to provide counter pressure to the driver's hands in an imitation of the steering feedback. Armrest pressure sensors, steering rack actuators and a processor unit make up the rest of the steering hardware, the latter critical to the operation of the setup. If the two joystick angles differ too much, the controller will consider the pressure on the armrest sensors to determine which joystick position should take priority in calculating the desired steering angle. In this scenario, the force feedback actuator will counter erroneous movement of the joystick as a means of alerting the driver to erroneous input.

The actual steering angle in this drive-by-wire system is determined by first checking whether the movement of the joystick conforms to normal steering conditions and according to speed. It's not the first time we've met a manufacturer interested in reinventing the way we control cars. Ferrari previously patented a single seat-mounted joystick similar to one you might use for gaming, while BMW planned to replace the steering wheel with a dual joystick.