If you thought BMW‘s clever gesture controls in the new-gen 7-Series were cool, just wait until automakers will make it so drivers no longer need to remove their hands from the steering wheel.
Behind this idea is German automotive company Continental, which specializes in tires, brake systems, automotive safety, powertrains and quite a few other things that belong to the automotive and transportation industries. Their latest solution for a safer world involves installing so-called “detection zones” for gestures on the steering wheel itself instead of the center console where the magic happens with BMW’s latest 7-Series.
At the moment, the new system can identify four different gestures, which involve setting the navigation, browsing apps & music, answering calls and controlling the on-board computer.
“There gestures are intuitive for the driver and are very closely based on the familiar operating methods of smartphones and other smart devices,” said Ralf Lenninger, head of strategy & system development at Continental’s interior division.
Continental’s solution to interacting with the car’s system would definitely de-clutter the classic steering wheel from a visual perspective, though placing the “detection zones” close to where a pair of paddle shifters would be, could create one or two other issues.
The two detection zones are basically two transparent plastic panels with no electronic components – located behind the steering wheel from where they can read gestures primarily communicated via the driver’s thumb.
One of the gifs below will also demonstrate how the driver could accept or decline a call with a quick flip of his fingers or how he can play music with a double-tap motion of the thumb.
According to Autonews, the German supplier currently has no orders for this system. But as of right now, there is nothing else similar on the market.
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