Assessment of safety and ride quality based on comparative studies of a new type of universal steering wheel in 3D simulators

Abstract

This article will present the results of comparative tests of the functionality of new type of a universal steering wheel, intended to use as HMI to drive a so-called ECO car by both disabled and ablebodied people. The already mentioned ECO car would be characterized, among other things, by electric drive and “steer by wire” system (which is of particular importance in designing adaptive human-vehicle interface). The car was designed as part of the “Eco-Mobility” project implemented under the Innovative Economy Operational Programme co-financed from European Regional Development Fund. The prototype of the car and some of its functions were demonstrated on the “eco-mobilnosc” website [4, 2]. An able-bodied person is sitting in a driver’s seat (in the car’s equipment), while the disabled person can drive the car sitting in their own wheelchair. The functionality feature of the steering wheel which is distinctive from the classic steering system (classic steering wheel + pedals) is the opportunity to drive the vehicle using only hands (without using legs). The steering wheel developed as part of the ECO Mobility project is part of a system that allows a disabled person to use a car completely on their own (without any help from others). The same car can also be used by able-bodied people hence the notion of its “universality”. ECO steering wheel is essentially adapted to drive cars with Steerby-wire system [13, 6]. This solution makes it possible to program the steering angle corresponding to the maximum steering angle of the front wheels. There is a possibility to adjust the so-called melt steering ratio (obviously not while driving). In these studies, there were two different combinations included: 180o to 35o and 120o to 35o. These changes are intended to limit the angle of rotation of the steering Maciej KozlowSKi