Intelligent steering wheel solutions drive greater safety in autonomous driving

Steering wheels for cars and commercial vehicles have long since developed into multifunctional control units. Trends such as autonomous driving and increasing automation are placing ever higher demands on intelligent steering wheel technologies. Marquardt has, therefore, extended its range of integrated, interconnected steering wheel systems. As well as ergonomic rockers, compact switches, and smart solutions for heating and lighting, the modular product portfolio also includes a Hands-on Wheel Detection (HOWD) for autonomous and semi-autonomous driving functions. The ECU serves as an integrative interface that combines and monitors all functions.

The company is a development partner to manufacturers and Tier 1 steering wheel suppliers, developing future-proof systems that integrate control, sensor technology, and user interaction. The mechatronics expert benefits from decades of experience in vehicle control at the interface between HMI. Its modular platform allows brand-specific adaptation to different manufacturers and vehicle classes, equipment variants, and regions, and delivers tailor-made, seamlessly integrated, and scalable solutions for smart steering wheels. The development of intelligent steering wheel solutions is driven by increasing demand for intuitive interfaces and trends toward closed surface, sensor technology, and haptic feedback. Also, there are strict regulations for driver assistance systems.

Although driver assistance systems are reaching ever higher levels of automation, they do not relieve the driver of responsibility: at least in semi-automated driving (SAE levels 2 and 3), the driver must be ready to take control of the vehicle at any time. To monitor this and increase the safety of driver assistance systems, the company has developed HOWD. Its ECU receives, processes, and evaluates signals from capacitive sensors in different areas of the steering wheel. The signals tell the vehicle whether the driver has their hands on the steering wheel. HOWD also works when the intelligent steering wheel heating, which also responds to touch, is active. It regulates the temperature automatically as soon as the driver touches the steering wheel. Sensors measure changes in electrical capacity.

In addition to hand detection and heating, the company's steering wheel system platform includes other components such as lighting, shift paddles, and steering wheel switches. The lighting elements improve visibility and usability, for example, by supplying visual feedback for driving modes and other functions. It is also working on further innovative lighting ideas. Dynamic light strips and illuminated logos will soon be ready for series production – improving the driving experience and making the brand shine.

The compact, user and model-specific configurable steering wheel switches can be employed to control standard functions (volume, speed) or even answer phone calls. The company offers solutions with different technologies depending on the surface in question: While touch and active haptics with and without force sensing dominate for completely closed surfaces, passive haptics (mechanical switches) or touch are used for steering wheel switches without a closed surface. Ergonomic shift paddles are also part of the steering wheel system platform. They can be adapted in terms of colour and material and, thanks to their compact design and low installation depth, can be readily integrated into confined spaces.

The heart of the system platform is the company's ECU. It continuously synchronises and monitors all steering wheel functions, ensuring that the various control elements in the network work together seamlessly. The integration of heating and hand detection into the ECU eliminates the need for separate modules and complex wiring, thereby reducing system complexity. Depending on the OEM's requirements, the company's ECU can be certified up to the highest safety level (ASIL D). This ensures the reliability of the system and the safety of the vehicle.