In the evolution of the automobile, the steering wheel came a little later than the car itself. Early cars used something called a “tiller” to steer the car, much like something you see in small, rudimentary motorboats and even fishing boats today. The steering wheel first came into use when Alfred Vacheron modified a Panhard and Lavassor model, and entered the Paris-Rouen Race, becoming the first man to turn a gasoline-powered car with a wheel, in 1894.Later, by 1898, steering wheels became more popular and by 1904, one of the earlier mass-production cars, the Rambler, now came only with steering wheels. So, it’s safe to say that for the last 120 years, the steering wheel is as important a part of the car, as the wheels themselves.And much like the cars that have kept on making technological leaps, so has the steering wheel. And today Audi is one of the few companies that are yet again reinventing the wheel, only, it’s the steering wheel that we are talking about.So, this is how Audi is revolutionizing the steering wheel and why it means good things for us, the consumers. Because, who does not want a car that steers precisely, especially if it’s also an Audi?

A Brief History Of The Steering Wheel

Audi's Steering Wheel Generations - 1986, 1996, 2021 (From Left)
Via: AudiMediaCenter

So, while the early 1900’s Rambler cars did boast steering wheels, these were akin to the steering wheels of the ships – big, round wooden discs that did nothing but turn the car, and that too in a very uncertain rudimentary way. The cars of that time were heavy and there were times the steering wheel would just break off and leave the driver heading off into a direction he never wanted to go towards.

Slowly, the steering wheel became smaller and a little more precise but even then, it was not until power steering came to be that cars could be turned with a certain amount of finesse and a lot more surety.

Power steering came as a WWII necessity and stayed on since, in both hydraulic and electric forms. Another steering wheel revolution came in the 1960s, when automakers decided to start putting some buttons and features from the dashboard and onto the steering wheels, starting with cruise control. By the ‘80s, airbags began to be added into steering wheels, gathering more force and necessity in the ‘90s.

Of course, with the start of the 21st century, there has been no stopping the steering wheel, which now boasts every button a driver needs to do anything and everything in the car. But what makes Audi’s steering wheels so revolutionary?

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Audi Prides Itself On Low-Hand Movement Steering

The All-New 2021 Audi Q4 e-Tron's Steering Wheel
Via: AudiMediaCenter

Audi basically prides itself on making a steering wheel that’s just a little more precise than the competition, meaning you need minimal effort to steer their cars, or as Audi says, their steering wheels need “low hand movement”. The idea is that Audi can be steered with ultra-high precision, even on curves. Despite driving at high speeds, which can be affected by factors like weather, wind, and road conditions, Audi says it does not take much to combat any buffeting you feel because counter steering takes only a minuscule effort.

The new steering wheel in the Audi Q4 e-Tron and Sportback e-Tron integrates 18 functions, and instead of buttons, they have touch-screens mounted on the steering wheel itself, with a black panel look. So, when the touch screen is not active, they are nearly invisible, seamlessly melding with the wheel’s look. Plus, the touchscreens are also intuitive, slowly learning what the driver accesses or needs the most.

The steering wheel rim is also flattened from the top and bottom, to add a more futuristic look and feel. Then there’s another cool factor called the “axial offset”, which means, the steering wheel is placed over the hub in a way that makes ingress and egress easy for the driver.

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Audi Calls It Intelligent Steering

Audi TechTalk Steering
Via: AudiMediaCenter

Currently, Audi uses five steering systems in its cars, depending on the trim and the model with the big daddy being Dynamic All-Wheel Steering.

Another intuitive and intelligent feature in Audi’s steering is “capacitive grip recognition”. This means the steering wheel can deduce whether or not the driver has his or her hands on the wheel, with the help of sensor pressure pads underneath the outer foam of the rim.

This helps the steering wheel provide aid to the driver with assisted driving. Within 15 seconds of the steering wheel not feeling any touch, a series of visual and auditory warnings will begin to flash. Lane detection, collision avoidance, and other such safety features will also immediately come into play to ensure the safety of the occupants.

Of course, despite the design and functionality limitations, Audi always puts airbags in the steering wheel as seamlessly as it can, to ensure aesthetics and safety go hand in hand.

But don’t believe us. Test drive an Audi today and see how a lot of its awesome features lie in its steering wheel itself.

Sources: DriveTribe, TheNewsWheel, AudiMediaCenter

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