Movable steering wheel for autonomous vehicle
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsAndrew Brown, John P. Joyce, Scott J. Lauffer, Steven R. El Aile, Samer Abbas
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A steering wheel position control system for a vehicle comprises a controller for a vehicle. The controller includes a processor and a memory. The memory stores instructions executable by the processor. The controller is programmed to receive values from the sensors. The controller commands a pivot mechanism to bias a steering wheel to a stowed position based on values from the sensors. The controller also deploys an air bag based on values from the sensors, wherein the steering wheel is pivoted out of a space envelope of the deployed airbag.
Claims18
A steering wheel position control system for a vehicle comprising:
- a processor;
- a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to:
- receive values from at least one sensor;
- command a pivot mechanism to bias a steering wheel from a driving position to a stowed position based on values from the sensor;
- deploy an airbag based on values from the sensor;
- and
- wherein the steering wheel in the stowed position is on a lower side of a dashboard and is out of a space envelope of the deployed airbag such that a driver in a seated upright position is not able to reach the steering wheel.
A steering wheel position control system for a vehicle comprising:
- a steering wheel exclusive of an airbag therein;
- the steering wheel being fixed to a steering wheel module, the module being selectively pivotable with respect to a dashboard between a driving position with the steering wheel within reach of an occupant in a driver seat and a stowed position with the steering wheel out of reach of the occupant;
- a processor;
- a sensor to detect a vehicle impact event;
- a pivot mechanism selectively biasing the steering wheel to the stowed position responsive to a command signal from the processor;
- and
- a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to:
- receive values from the sensor;
- command to the pivot mechanism to bias the steering wheel from the driving position to the stowed position based on values from the sensor;
- and
- deploy the airbag based on values from the sensor;
- wherein the steering wheel in the stowed position is on a lower side of the dashboard and is pivoted out of a space envelope of the deployed airbag such that a driver in a seated upright position is not able to reach the steering wheel.
A method for positioning a steering wheel comprising:
- receiving values from a sensor;
- commanding a pivot mechanism to bias a steering wheel from a driving position to a stowed position based on values from the sensor;
- and
- deploying an airbag based on values from the sensor;
- wherein the steering wheel in the stowed position is on a lower side of a dashboard and is pivoted out of a space envelope of the deployed airbag such that a driver in a seated upright position is not able to reach the steering wheel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.