As the NHTSA is stepping up
with its safety investigations, Toyota
creates new designs to offer more driver's assistance technology. One that's piqued many people's attention is a new steering wheel design that would increase slip/grip while driving. It isn't a for-sure thing yet, but it appears the brand has patented the design to possibly use in the future. Regardless, here's the takeaway on how the concept could work.
How would Toyota's new steering wheel design work?
Toyota's patent is certainly a surprise to see, but it is, after all, just a patent at this point. According to MotorTrend
, the design would change your grip on the steering wheel depending on the conditions during driving. There are a few different ways it would do this. A vehicle's wheel could have holes in the rim, where the air blows through, and the sensors tucked inside would send a signal to change the friction in the steering wheel.
It could either reduce or increase it based on what the sensors determine. Or the rim could have, as MotorTrend explains it, pistons and spheres to extend or withdraw in order to change resistance to steer the vehicle.
What are the advantages of Toyota's new steering concept?
If the concept became a reality, and Toyota implemented it into one of its vehicle designs, it would bring us one step closer to a completely self-driving car. It appears you would still need to steer, but the vehicle can help you make the right move in questionable driving conditions.
Imagine driving on a highway and wanting to make a lane change. The vehicle's sensors would scan the surrounding area to ensure nothing would prevent that movement. If the lane change is okay, the steering wheel could allow you more control to make a move.
If the situation isn't safe at that time, it could prevent you from moving the car into the lane, at least until it's safe to do so.
The disadvantages of having this kind of steering wheel
The main problem with this scenario is giving up control of the vehicle. It sounds like it would be safe, but any type of similar situation that's been tried before doesn't exactly turn out well.
In fact, some critics found a few of these features to be quite dangerous. One example of this is the emergency braking system. While it works as intended, some situations creep up out of nowhere for the most part.
How often have you heard a driver complain they were driving down the road and the brakes would get applied without their input? This kind of scenario happens every now and then when there's no object anywhere near the vehicle when it happens. Sometimes that can be dangerous, especially if you have someone behind you.
While Toyota's patented design isn't about braking, you can still see where issues could arise. If the vehicle doesn't allow you to make a move when you clearly need to do so for safety reasons, a serious accident could occur, rendering that feature useless.
Again, it's just a concept at this stage, so hopefully, Toyota will work out the kinks before actually using it.
Protecting your Toyota no matter which one you buy
Toyota isn't offering that steering wheel design yet, but they have plenty of other helpful features to keep you safe, no matter which model you purchase. To keep your investment protected from any mishaps down the road, you'll need the best insurance. But, depending on your situation, it could end up costing you too much.
If so, Jerry
can help. We know where to search to find the best results for proper coverage at an affordable price. Sign up with us today and see how much savings we can offer on your Toyota vehicle. 
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