According to the disclosure, the steering control device and method may enhance the driver's steering feeling by correcting the steering torque due to a difference in linear distance despite a difference in the linear distance from the rotation axis according to the position of the pressure applied to the steering wheel shaped so that the linear distance from the rotation axis increases/decreases.

A lever operation device includes an operation lever which rotates integrally with a steering wheel of a vehicle and receives operations at least in upward and downward directions and around which a predetermined region is set so as to prevent the operation lever from contacting with a leg of a user seated in a driver's seat when the steering wheel is rotated to a maximum steering angle, and an operation portion that is arranged on the operation lever so as not to be located out of the region and includes plural operating positions each assigned an executable function.

A motor vehicle can include a steering hub mechanism and a steering wheel, the steering wheel can include an outer rim, a center section, and one or more modular accessories, and can include a first modular accessory configured to be fixed to the outer rim and a second modular accessory configured to be fixed to the outer rim, where the first modular accessory differs from the second modular accessory with respect to one or more of material, physical appearance, and/or a control function. The steering wheel can include one or more interchangeable spokes configured to be fixed to the center section and the outer rim, wherein said interchangeable spokes define the depth of the outer rim relative to the center section. The one or more interchangeable spokes comprise one or more control mechanisms, the control mechanisms being configured to attach to one or more attachment points of the outer rim.

An electrode structure includes: a base material; a conductive fabric on a first surface of the base material; and one or more conductive wires on a second surface of the base material so as to be electrically insulated from the conductive fabric. The second surface is opposite to the first surface of the base material. The base material includes: a first area and a second area. The first area is fitted into a groove of the rim and the second area is placed in a part of a rim of a steering wheel other than the groove, when the base material is attached to the rim. The one or more conductive wires are arranged at a lower wiring density in the first area than in the second area.

The steering heater 11 is provided on the surface of the skin material 23. The resistance value of the steering heater 11 is set to a level at which a heat quantity for heating the steering wheel 2 to a desired degree according to a voltage supplied from a power supply 32 which will be described later can be secured. The resistance value of the steering heater 11 is 1Ω or less, or the like, for example. When the resistance value of the steering heater 11 is set to 1Ω or less, for example, if the power supplied from the power supply 32 is about 13V, the heat quantity of the steering heater 11 is about 170 W and thus can appropriately heat the steering wheel 2.

A method of operating a capacitive sensing device that includes exactly two electrically conductive antenna electrodes, which are placeable in two layers at a vehicle steering wheel rim, and a current measurement circuit for determining complex electric currents in the antenna electrodes. The method includes at least the following steps for constituting a measurement cycle: operating each one of the exactly two antenna electrodes in loading mode and determine the complex impedance of the respective antenna electrode; and generating a classification signal that is indicative of a present scenario, based on a fulfillment of at least one predetermined condition concerning at least one characteristic quantity of the first complex impedance as well as of the second complex impedance.

The present invention relates to a combined capacitive sensor and heating apparatus (10, 60, 70) having a capacitive sensor device for detecting the presence of a capacitively effective actuation means in a detection region of the sensor device, and having a heating device, wherein the sensor and heating apparatus (10, 60, 70) has an electrical combined sensor and heating element (4), wherein a synchronization device (40) is configured to capture an actual voltage applied to the first electrical path (P1) between the first pole (V+) of a voltage source and the first connection (5) of the combined sensor and heating element (4) and/or an actual current flow and/or to capture an actual voltage applied between the second connection (6) of the combined sensor and heating element (4) and the second pole (GND) and/or an actual current flow and to detect an instantaneous actual state of the heating device on the basis thereof, and to control the sensor device and/or output at least one control signal for at least partially controlling the sensor device on the basis of the detected actual state of the heating device.

A handle in which a sensor layer capable of detecting grip is disposed on a gripping portion that is gripped at a time of steering. The gripping portion includes a core material, a covering layer formed of urethane foam, which is disposed by die-molding so as to cover a periphery of the core material, the sensor layer, and a protective layer covering the sensor layer. The sensor layer is formed of a mold coat agent formed of a urethane-based paint containing a conductive material. The mold coat agent is applied to a die surface of a molding die of the covering layer. At a time of molding the covering layer, the sensor layer formed of the mold coat agent is disposed on a surface side of the covering layer.

The invention relates to a heatable touch sensor and a steering wheel. It has an optical waveguide which is connected to an electrical heat conductor. The optical waveguide changes its transmission behavior, which is determined, with a change in position or bending. The heat conductor is a resistance heater which emits heat by applying an electrical voltage and by the associated current flow. The touch sensor operates by means of optical interferometry, which enables a very high sensing accuracy.

An operating device for a steering wheel comprises an operating element, which can be selectively rotated about a first rotation axis and a second rotation axis for controlling a control system by means of an actuation, wherein the operating element can be rotated to an actuation stage from a starting position, wherein the first rotation axis is coaxial to the longitudinal axis of the operating element, and the second rotation axis is substantially transverse to the first rotation axis, wherein a force application point has a mechanical advantage with respect to the second rotation axis when actuated about the second rotation axis, and wherein the force application point has no substantial mechanical advantage in relation to the second rotation axis when the operating element is actuated about the first rotation axis, in order to prevent a simultaneous actuation of the operating element about the first and second rotation axes.