A steering apparatus includes: a steering handle 2 including a ring-shaped rim part, a hub part provided in the center of the rim part, and left and right spoke parts connecting the hub part to the rim part; a core bar 6 supporting the rim part, the hub part, and the left and right spoke parts; and a grasp detection device 4 configured to estimate a capacitance between the core bar 6 and ground connection as an electrical characteristic of the core bar 6, and detect contact or proximity of the driver's hands with or to the steering handle 2 based on a result of the estimation. The core bar 6 includes a hub core bar 63 supporting the hub part and having a connection part 631 to which a steering shaft is connected and on which an insulating coating is provided.

A blending steering control method includes estimating a handwheel pressure applied by an operator to a handwheel and receiving a handwheel torque input indicating a torque value applied by the operator to the handwheel. The method also includes receiving a target handwheel angle indicating a target handwheel angle of an electronic power steering system configured to control a corresponding vehicle along a defined path. The method also includes generating a scaled operator intent value based on the estimated handwheel pressure and the handwheel torque and generating an output torque value based on the target handwheel angle and scaled operator intent value. The method also includes selectively controlling vehicle trajectory based on the output torque value.

A blending steering control method includes estimating a handwheel pressure applied by an operator to a handwheel and receiving a handwheel torque input indicating a torque value applied by the operator to the handwheel. The method also includes receiving a target handwheel angle indicating a target handwheel angle of an electronic power steering system configured to control a corresponding vehicle along a defined path. The method also includes generating a scaled operator intent value based on the estimated handwheel pressure and the handwheel torque and generating an output torque value based on the target handwheel angle and scaled operator intent value. The method also includes selectively controlling vehicle trajectory based on the output torque value.

A vehicle steering wheel having a rim to be gripped by a driver of the vehicle, a trim casing arranged to cover a body of the rim so as to at least partially form an outer surface of the rim, a flexible heating device inserted between the trim casing and the body of the rim, comprising at least one heating track, wherein the heating track is a surface track deposited on the flexible heating device, and in that the rim body comprises at least one groove arranged to house at least one part of the flexible heating device, said at least one part comprising a portion of the surface track.

A touch detecting apparatus includes an electrostatic sensor provided at an object; and a processor configured to detect whether a hand touches the object based on a capacitance measured by the electrostatic sensor. The processor is configured to, in response to the capacitance being greater than or equal to a first touch threshold, detect that the hand touches the object, and, for a second predetermined time from when a change amount of the capacitance during a first predetermined time becomes greater than or equal to a noise threshold, continue a state where a correction value has been added to the first touch threshold.

System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to providing visual feedback on a steering apparatus using a pscyhophysical model. In one embodiment, a method includes obtaining a difference between a current angle of a steering apparatus and a recommended angle of the steering apparatus. The method further includes determining an appearance parameter based upon the difference and a psychophysical model, wherein the psychophysical model optimizes a relationship between perceived light and the difference such that a change in the difference produces a proportional change in the perceived light. The method further includes illuminating a region of the steering apparatus with light based upon the appearance parameter.

System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to providing visual feedback on a steering apparatus using a pscyhophysical model. In one embodiment, a method includes obtaining a difference between a current angle of a steering apparatus and a recommended angle of the steering apparatus. The method further includes determining an appearance parameter based upon the difference and a psychophysical model, wherein the psychophysical model optimizes a relationship between perceived light and the difference such that a change in the difference produces a proportional change in the perceived light. The method further includes illuminating a region of the steering apparatus with light based upon the appearance parameter.

An apparatus for generating a warning vibration of a steering wheel includes, a reservoir disposed within the steering wheel and filled with a non-conductive fluid, a connection tube connected to the reservoir and configured to form a hydraulic line of the non-conductive fluid, an actuator disposed within the steering wheel, connected to the connection tube, and configured to vibrate according to inflow and outflow of the non-conductive fluid from the connection tube, a positive electrode and a negative electrode disposed on opposite sides of the reservoir, a high voltage power supplier configured to supply a high voltage to be applied to the positive electrode and the negative electrode, and a vibration generation controller configured to selectively apply an output voltage of the high voltage power supplier to the positive electrode and the negative electrode.

An apparatus for generating a warning vibration of a steering wheel includes, a reservoir disposed within the steering wheel and filled with a non-conductive fluid, a connection tube connected to the reservoir and configured to form a hydraulic line of the non-conductive fluid, an actuator disposed within the steering wheel, connected to the connection tube, and configured to vibrate according to inflow and outflow of the non-conductive fluid from the connection tube, a positive electrode and a negative electrode disposed on opposite sides of the reservoir, a high voltage power supplier configured to supply a high voltage to be applied to the positive electrode and the negative electrode, and a vibration generation controller configured to selectively apply an output voltage of the high voltage power supplier to the positive electrode and the negative electrode.

A device is provided for operating a vehicle which can be driven in an at least partly automated manner, having a steering wheel which can be operated by a driver and which is also designed to carry out a substantially manual driving mode for controlling at least the lateral control of the vehicle. The device has at least one first operating mode which differs from a substantially manual operating mode in that one or more operations initiated by the driver in a first time interval at the steering wheel are not carried out in the first time interval, but instead are carried out in a second time interval in accordance with a predetermined condition.