One steering column assembly for use with a vehicle includes a jacket, a steering shaft rotatably supported by the jacket, and a retractor for moving the steering shaft from an extended position to a stowed position. The retractor does not interfere with rotation of the steering shaft when the steering shaft is at the extended position, and the retractor includes explosive material and a detonation device. The detonation device is in communication with the explosive material for detonating the explosive material when an impact event is sensed or predicted, and detonation of the explosive material results in the steering shaft moving from the extended position to the stowed position.

A variable steering angle steering device rotationally drives a rotational element using a steering angle ratio adjustment motor so as to change the relationship between the amount of rotation of a first rotating shaft and the amount of rotation of a second rotating shaft, thereby changing the relationship between the amount of steering of the steering wheel and the amount of change in steering angle. The steering angle ratio adjustment motor is supported and fixed at a part of a steering column forward than a portion at which the steering column is supported with respect to a support frame. In the event of primary collision, the steering angle ratio adjustment motor collides with the support frame and is thereby prevented from being displaced rearward beyond the support frame.

A vehicle has a steering wheel arrangement that includes a control unit and a steering wheel, which is arranged on a steering column, connected to the control unit, and able to be positioned from a steering position into a safety position. The steering wheel arrangement also includes an adjustment unit connected to the control unit at least for positioning the steering wheel arranged on the steering column from the steering position into the safety position, and the steering wheel arrangement is designed to vibrate on positioning from a steering position into the safety position.

An energy absorption system for a vehicle steering column includes a lower jacket. The energy absorption system also includes an upper jacket operatively coupled to, and moveable relative to, the lower jacket. The energy absorption system further includes a tooth rack operatively coupled to the upper jacket. The energy absorption system yet further includes an electromagnetic brake mechanism engageable with the tooth rack to exert a braking force on the tooth rack.

System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to improving deployment of an airbag by controlling a steering wheel in a vehicle. In one embodiment, a method includes identifying at least a hand position for one or more hands of the operator on the steering wheel using orientation data acquired from at least one sensor of the vehicle. The method includes determining, as a function of at least the hand position, a mitigation action associated with deploying the airbag. The method includes, in response to detecting that deployment of the airbag is imminent, controlling the steering wheel according to the mitigation action.

Apparatus, methods, and systems for repositioning a steering wheel and/or airbag cushion prior to and/or during deployment of the airbag cushion resulting from an impact event. Some embodiments may comprise a steering wheel configured to be positioned between a first, operational configuration and a second, deployed configuration at least in part by a translational movement of the steering wheel. An airbag cushion may be deployable from the steering wheel and may be configured to move from the first configuration to the second configuration before or during deployment of the airbag cushion.

A steering column for a motor vehicle may include an inner casing in which a steering spindle is mounted rotatably about a longitudinal axis that extends in a longitudinal direction and is received in an outer casing in a slidingly adjustable manner in the longitudinal direction. A pretensioning apparatus may have a pressure piece that can be braced from an outside in a tensioning direction transversely to the longitudinal axis against the inner casing. The pressure piece is held in the longitudinal direction on the outer casing and is supported against a fixing element counter to the tensioning direction. The fixing element is fixed in a recess of the outer casing. The fixing element has a forming means that is plastically furrowed into the recess, and/or the recess has a forming means that is plastically furrowed into the fixing element.

An assembly includes a steering column. The assembly includes a pair of steering handles pivotally supported by the steering column and pivotable from an extended position toward the steering column to a retracted position. The assembly includes a processor and a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to pivot the steering handles to the retracted position upon detecting a triggering event.

A vehicle includes a frame including a first post, a second post spaced cross-vehicle from the first post, and a steering post rotatably supported by the frame. The steering post extends between the first and second posts. The vehicle includes a steering post reinforcement having a first and a second end each fixed to the frame, a curved portion curving about the axis between the ends, and a first and a second portion extending from the ends to the curved portion. The first and second portions are elongated vehicle-rearward from the frame to the curved portion. The curved portion defines an opening between the ends. The steering post extends through the opening between the curved portion and the frame and between the first and second portions. The curved portion is spaced vehicle-rearward from the steering post. The first and second portions are spaced cross-vehicle from the steering post.

A steering column adjustment assembly includes a steering column that is automatically adjustable in an autonomous or semi-autonomous driving mode. Also included is a controller receiving information from at least one detection component, the controller adjusting the steering column in the autonomous or semi-autonomous driving mode to a position that is selected for an impact event, the position determined by at least one factor related to the information received from the at least one detection component.