In the automotive industry, there is currently an increasing trend towards providing digital Human-Machine Interface (HMI) functionalities on vehicle interior surfaces, which can be used for entertainment or professional purposes. The same is occurring at the steering wheel (SWS) level, for instance, with the transformation of physical buttons into tactile ones and/or the incorporation of lighting elements. The development of new HMI functionalities for the SWS is the main purpose of this WP, based on
the following drivers:
– The SWS is the key interface between the driver and the vehicle, hence the availability of HMI functions in the SWS contributes to a more intuitive and safe interaction.
– The aforementioned is truer in the context of professional-use vehicles, such as the BE-VCL to be manufactured by Stellantis Mangualde. Indeed, these vehicles are subject to more intense usage (in comparison with LPV vehicles) often being the working space (or even the “office”) of the drivers. Therefore, the availability of HMI functions directly in the SWS contributes to a safer utilization.
– The inclusion of HMI functions in the SWS will prepare this critical component for future dual-mode vehicles (i.e. vehicles with manual and autonomous driving mode).
Hence, the present WP targets the creation of the HMI functionalities of the future, capable of supporting advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), while contributing to the functional and seamless enhancement of the SWS (e.g. transfer of control functions to the SWS; incorporation of hands-on-detection function, monitoring the driver condition).