VW patent takes multifunction steering wheel to a new level

The turn signal lever could become a thing of the past.

According to a VW patent discovered by CarBuzz at the German Patent and Trademark Office, control elements on the inner ring would take over the main tasks. These buttons could be physical, tactile, or a combination of both, according to the patent.

The system may initially appear complex but could prove to be quite simple and practical. As per the patent, there are two groups of control elements (physical or touch-sensitive buttons) located on the right and left sides of the steering wheel.

First, the control element on the left side must be activated, and then the driver can select one of the options on the right side. For example, when selecting the headlight function, the second step would display options such as high beams, low beams, headlight leveling, or fog lights.

According to VW, a significant advantage of the system is that the driver no longer needs to take his hands off the steering wheel to use the functions located on it. This will take the multifunction steering wheel to the next level. In addition, it will provide greater design freedom for the steering wheel and reduce clutter in the vehicle interior.

Additionally, VW could potentially save millions of euros in development costs by integrating important functions into the steering wheel. These components would no longer need to be developed separately and produced in series. Only the system would need to be adapted to each individual model.