Steering with a digital screen: Hyundai is planning something new for you

The auto industry is increasingly adopting digitalisation. A physical aspect of this digitalisation is adding screens. Modern car cockpits are coming with an increasing number of digital screens, be it the touchscreen infotainment systems, instrument cluster or Mercedes-Benz's wide MBUX digital display.

South Korean automaker Hyundai is reportedly working on a new steering wheel design and technology. The automaker has filed for a patent of a new type of steering wheel patent at the German Patent and Trademark Office, reports Motorionline. The design of the patent filing shows the steering wheel will come with a digital display at the centre of it.

This could be an interacting screen acting as an instrument cluster. Interestingly, this is not the first time Hyundai has tried its hand on such a unique design. Back in 2019, the car brand introduced an idea that they dubbed Virtual Cockpit Study.

The Hyundai Virtual Cockpit Study employed two sizeable touchscreens at the corners of the steering wheel. The idea was to remove the multiple control buttons from the steering wheel and replace those with two digital screens.

The latest patent image has advanced further and introduced a single screen display instead of a dual display set-up. ht

The patent image brings a question of where will be the driver airbag positioned. The patent mentions that the airbag will be positioned within the steering wheel. It is not clear if Hyundai will apply a separate mount for the airbag, so the screen is not damaged in case of deployment. Interestingly, the Genesis Mint concept gave such a hint. It is a bit radical concept, but certainly gives an idea about what Hyundai might be thinking.

Hyundai seems to be planning to introduce a cleaner and smoother design theme inside the cabin of its upcoming cars. The latest steering wheel design gives us the hint to that only.