Hyundai Teams up with EDAG to Develop Innovative Touch-steering Wheel Concept

In collaboration with the EDAG Group, which is the largest independent engineering service provider in the world, Hyundai Motor Europe Technical Center (HMETC) has developed what is possibly the first touch steering wheel in the. The two companies collaborated to develop an innovative virtual cockpit and steering wheel as part of their effort to transform vehicle interiors using VR technology and the latest HMI (human-machine interface) concepts.

The most distinctive characteristic of the touch-steering wheel is that it makes it possible for the driver to control all vehicle functions ranging from the volume of the radio to heating settings without taking his hands off the steering wheel. This can help significantly reduce the level of driver distraction, which is one of the major causes of accidents.

The first thing the EDAG Group’s specialists did was replace all of the mechanical keys on the steering wheel with touch-sensitive controls in the form of touch displays. To make operation even faster and easier, it is now possible to store favorites on these. The driver can call up the controls using the steering wheel and they are displayed on a full-screen monitor in the instrument cluster. Hence, there is no need for the driver to look at the steering wheel.

Haptic feedback permits blind operation

For those who have the fear that the controls would be triggered by accident, the displays are configured in such a way that just a simple touch would not activate a function. A harder touch from the user is needed to activate a function and the driver receives a button click for confirmation.

The motorists can use this haptic feedback for blind operation while driving. The haptic feedback actuator was developed in-house by the EDAG Group, and this was implanted into Hyundai’s Virtual Cockpit. The haptic module facilitates freely programmable feedback patterns, and is compatible with displays of almost any size. It also is used to mount the display and measure finger pressure.

The joint project with Hyundai was carried out by EDAG’s E/E specialists in Fulda with input from EDAG brands FEYNSINN and EDAG BFFT Electronics between May and August 2019, and it covered the entire development process including design, development and production of the steering wheel and its corresponding controls. EDAG also took on the responsibility of developing the needed embedded hardware and software and realization of the graphic user interface (UI). This project with Hyundai made it possible for the EDAG Group to showcase its expertise in modern HMI and E/E.