Why are steering wheel designs so boring?

delad · 07-07-2012 1:49pm #1

They haven't changed at all in 50 years. I want an F1 style steering wheel in my next car!

CiniO · 07-07-2012 2:05pm

delad wrote: »

They haven't changed at all in 50 years. I want an F1 style steering wheel in my next car!

What do you mean they didn't change?

30 years ago:

10 years ago:

Now:

delad · 07-07-2012 2:08pm

OSI wrote: »

How many different ways can you make a wheel with an airbag in the middle?

The airbag doesn't take up much space. I would like a smaller wheel with better hand grips, like an f1 wheel or the wheel in some concept cars. This would give better and easier control of the car. The big clunky round sterling wheels we have now just don't do it for me.

BunShopVoyeur · 07-07-2012 2:11pm

Trying to make a tight turn with an F1 style wheel would mean having to cross your arms.....hardly safe.

Chris_Heilong · 07-07-2012 2:14pm

CiniO wrote: »

What do you mean they didn't change?

30 years ago:

10 years ago:

Now:

Actually dude, those wheels are all very similar.

OP, a circle is the best and easiest to use design just like the standard bicycle/car wheel, why reinvent when there is nothing wrong with it. A few other designs are nice, like the (=) or the (_) but they are all still based on the original steering wheel.

delad · 07-07-2012 2:15pm

BunShopVoyeur wrote: »

Trying to make a tight turn with an F1 style wheel would mean having to cross your arms.....hardly safe.

I would argue its safer than the current method of doing a tight turn as you can react and adjust quicker.

eth0 · 07-07-2012 2:28pm

The 30 years ago looks the nicest

ronaneire · 07-07-2012 2:36pm

This one is more cool and it is not modern

images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRLnP7YkzvcCqKNsp13wCGjlVX85Vjz7NZuXNkaqSzpMNHCtNgylw

h3000 · 07-07-2012 2:50pm

delad wrote: »

The airbag doesn't take up much space. I would like a smaller wheel with better hand grips, like an f1 wheel or the wheel in some concept cars. This would give better and easier control of the car. The big clunky round sterling wheels we have now just don't do it for me.

The steering ratio of a F1 car and that of a road car are hugely different. Most people would not have a hope of handling the sensitivity. There is no way it would work in a road car.

delad · 07-07-2012 3:43pm

h3000 wrote: »

The steering ratio of a F1 car and that of a road car are hugely different.

I'm not talking about changing the steering ratio.

Big Nasty · 07-07-2012 3:45pm

This is what you need OP............
http://www.enterprise-dashboard.com/img/knight-rider-kitt-hi-res.jpg

anthonyos · 07-07-2012 3:53pm

keep your eyes on the road ye son of bitch

cullow123 · 07-07-2012 4:01pm

If you were to change the design of the steering wheel what would it look like?

I would prefer if the steering wheel was kept as simple as possible because if you look at almost any car now its steering wheel has buttons on the back and the front, it nearly has or possibly has more functions on it than a formula 1 steering wheel has.

lau1247 · 07-07-2012 4:07pm

cullow123 wrote: »

if you look at almost any car now its steering wheel has buttons on the back and the front, it nearly has or possibly has more functions on it than a formula 1 steering wheel has.

I hardly think so (Granted, this is probably from 2008 season or something) but just look at the amount of settings :eek:

CiniO · 07-07-2012 4:14pm

delad wrote: »

The airbag doesn't take up much space. I would like a smaller wheel with better hand grips, like an f1 wheel or the wheel in some concept cars. This would give better and easier control of the car. The big clunky round sterling wheels we have now just don't do it for me.

On F1 it's not acutally a wheel.
Concept of F1 steering wheel thing, is that driver keeps his both hand on it at all times. There is never a reason to turn it more than about 120 degrees to either side, and therefore there is no need to take your hands off it, like there is in normal car.

Try to apply such steering ratio to normal car, and barely anyone will be able to drive it.

Bohrio · 07-07-2012 4:22pm

delad wrote: »

I'm not talking about changing the steering ratio.

I imagine he mentioned the steering ratio because the only reason why f1 cars have that shape is so they can turn the from left to right without the need to lift their hands of the wheel. So this is not practical on normal road cars as their ratio is 3/4 times greater than on an F1 car. If you had an F1 steering wheel type on a road car you will need to lift your hand off the steering wheel several times in order to complete a full revolution. Things will complicate if you have to do it in a rush. Even parking the car can be annoying.

For example my car's steering wheel is flat at the bottom of the wheel, it took me a while to get use to it. Kept missing the wheel from time to time.

Samich · 07-07-2012 4:25pm

We need more of these!

h3000 · 07-07-2012 4:27pm

delad wrote: »

I'm not talking about changing the steering ratio.

You would have to for that shaped wheel to be anyway practical.

delad · 07-07-2012 4:34pm

cullow123 wrote: »

If you were to change the design of the steering wheel what would it look like?

I would prefer if the steering wheel was kept as simple as possible because if you look at almost any car now its steering wheel has buttons on the back and the front, it nearly has or possibly has more functions on it than a formula 1 steering wheel has.

Buttons and switches will soon be a thing of the past with touchscreens and also voice control coming to cars.

Theanswers · 07-07-2012 4:37pm

Thats in cars allready!

My discovery Has Voice Control/ Tourch Screen.

delad · 07-07-2012 4:38pm

I don't particularly like this design, but this is ballpark what I would like to see:

http://www.seriouswheels.com/2008/nopq/2008-Nissan-Nuvu-Concept-Steering-Wheel-1-1920x1440.htm

delad · 07-07-2012 4:39pm

Theanswers wrote: »

Thats in cars allready!

My discovery Has Voice Control/ Tourch Screen.

yeah but I'm sure its not completely voice control, I'm sure you still have a few buttons and switches

mb1725 · 07-07-2012 4:40pm

Citroen used to be adventurous with steering wheerls:

im invisible · 07-07-2012 4:44pm

How about a joystick type steering?

nacimroc · 07-07-2012 4:55pm

im invisible wrote: »

How about a joystick type steering?

http://www.saabsunited.com/2009/11/the-saab-9000-drive-by-wire-joystick-project.html

They done it a few years ago. I think it was an early episode of top gear or one of them shows.

Greyfoot · 07-07-2012 5:54pm

I am quite happy with my momo

biko · 07-07-2012 6:16pm

You can get some pretty cool stuff after market

Skerries · 07-07-2012 6:55pm

this seems totally practical to me

a.aaa-Awesome-invention-of-car.jpg&sa=X&ei=84X4T820Ho2LhQfYy-DYBg&ved=0CAkQ8wc4OA&usg=AFQjCNEuYmBTL8swDgdjXXu60pHzbSGceA