Humans and machines sharing control creates ambiguity that can have tragic consequences, so the University of Michigan is looking at ways to minimize that.
Working with researchers from the Toyota Research Institute (which also provided funding), University of Michigan Engineering researchers built and tested a steering wheel lined with air sacs.
The goal is to avoid human drivers having to fight for control of the wheel, but it looks like the wheel is breathing, which is decidedly off-putting.
What researchers call “haptic zones” are located at the 10 o’clock and 2 o’clock positions where drivers should be holding the wheel.
If the system still thinks turning left is a good idea, it will send pulses of air that the drive can feel.