Different Specifications Steering Wheels for Cars
The steering wheel is practically part of a car that has not changed much throughout driving history, despite the advancement of car designs. There was some evolution in the steering wheel, which led to many different designs and mechanisms for steering the car.
The designs and mechanisms of the car's steering wheel have remained similar for most of the history of the car. A few fundamental changes in shape, design, adjustability and safety features have led to 11 main types of drive wheels. The changes were mostly driven by changing safety standards in the industry.
Despite other steering mechanisms such as the joystick and steering wheel, the steering wheel remained the most effective way to steer a car. Some innovations in drive wheels have led to the development of several different types of steering wheel.
Types of car steering wheels
Automotive designers spend a field day designing the exterior of the car and interior amenities, but the functional aspects of the steering wheel left little room for the innovative design and creativity of the modest steering wheel.
This design defect did not prevent some car manufacturers from placing their rotation on the design of the steering wheel without changing how the drive wheels work.
Some manufacturers tried to replace the steering wheel with different designs, as in the Honda EV-STER of 2012, which had levers instead of a steering wheel. However, this design has not spread, and non-wheel steering types are still in the world of model cars that are built from time to time instead of mainstream cars.
We have compiled a comprehensive list of the different steering wheel types commonly used in cars and the main differences between them.
1. Single speaker driving wheels
The crossbeams connecting the outer edge of the steering wheel to the steering column are called speakers. One of the most unusual steering wheel designs is a single beam that connects the steering wheel to the central steering column.
The design of the mono-spoke steering wheel is a rare configuration that is not often seen in the automotive world. It was originally developed by the French car manufacturer Citroen and included in the Citroen DS version in 1974.
This design was developed as a safety feature that allows the steering wheel to collapse in a certain way to steer the driver to one side of the steering column to reduce chest injuries in the event of a collision.
2. Dual driving wheels speakers
The two-spoke drive wheels have two beams that connect the outer edge of the steering wheel to the steering column. The speakers can be directly opposite to form a straight line across the steering wheel or at an angle to each other for a more elegant look.
Many two-spoke steering wheels included a chrome-plated metal horn ring that was compressed to activate the car horn.
An example of a two-spoke steering wheel with a horn ring was the steering wheel installed in Plymouth Savoy in 1958
Many modern cars use a two-spoke design and include electronic controls on the speakers, bringing them close to the driver's hands.
3. Three-spoke steering wheels
The three-spoke drive wheels have 3 bars that connect the outer edge of the steering wheel to the steering column. This was seen as a more sporty look in the design of the steering wheel of the car, and the design choice was often for the most shiny sports models in the group of car manufacturers.
The speaker in the early models of this type was thin and made of metal. Modern versions are wider to accommodate electronic controls on the speaker. This design is a safety feature that allows the driver to adapt to the vehicle's internal electronic devices without taking their hands off the steering wheel.
4. Banjo steering wheel
Banjo steering wheels can be double or three-spoke steering wheels, but the speaker was created differently.
The spokes in the banjo steering wheels were made of thick steel wire, which looked almost like the wheels of a bicycle. There can be 3, 4 or 5 of these wire threads in each speak from the steering wheel. The wire threads made the speakers look like strings on the banjo machine, from which the name of this design is derived.
The design of the wiring rods was created to reduce the amount of road vibration transferred from the road surface to the driver's hands. The wiring had a mitigating effect on road vibrations.
5. Telescopic steering wheel
The telescopic steering wheel has been developed to give the driver a certain level of adjustment of steering wheel height and distance away from the body.
Such designs before World War II were only adjustable by a mechanic and were assigned to the main driver of the car. Jaguar pioneered the first adjustable telescopic steering wheel for the driver on the Jaguar XK120 in 1949.
The steering wheel can be adjusted from the inside of the car by unscrewing and tightening the adjustable sleeve around the steering column.
The telescope modification allowed the steering wheel to be moved 3 inches, 76 mm farther or closer to the driver. When the steering wheel was pushed away from the driver, the steering wheel became low at the same time, and vice versa when the steering wheel was pulled.
Although this tuning feature is not dramatic, it has given shorter and longer drivers the option to adjust the steering wheel somewhat for a more comfortable and safer driving position.
6. Tilt the steering wheel
Inclined drive wheels have been available in cars since the early twentieth century. Many cars were manufactured with several fixed steering wheel tilt modes, such as most General Motors passenger cars produced in 1963 that included 7 modifications to the tilt mode.
The tilt mechanism works on the ratchet system that the driver can release to tilt the steering wheel to a more comfortable position.
The arc-shaped steering wheel can be tilted, either up or down, from the central position. This movement does not change the distance from the driver, as is the case with a telescopic steering wheel.
The tilt steering wheel is introduced as an optional plus in the lines of luxury cars of most manufacturers. The feature's popularity and growing safety factor have prompted manufacturers to include the feature in their non-luxury vehicle ranges.
7. Steering wheel with adjustable steering column
In other adjustable steering wheel types, the steering column remains in a fixed position while the steering wheel is adjusted relative to the steering column.
In this type of adjustable steering wheel, the steering column itself is mobile to make small adjustments to the position of the steering wheel.
The range of motion with this type of adjustment is not as large as with other types, and pressure locks and subsequent electric motors were used to make the adjustment.
The use of electric motors gave the advantage of allowing the steering wheel to be adjusted electronically using the "memory" of the preferred mode of different car drivers. This feature allows programming the preferred position on a button, since the steering wheel can be adjusted to the programmed mode with the push of a button.
This mechanism also allows the steering wheel to be lifted away from the road when the car is stationary, making it easier for the driver to get in and out.
8. Swing steering wheel
The swing steering wheel was another design for comfort rather than improving the driver's driving position.
The design was first seen in the Ford Thunderbird manufactured in 1961. The steering wheel and steering column can be moved 9 inches or 229 mm to the right when the transmission is in a standing position.
The design aims to enhance the ease of entry and exit of the vehicle rather than a more comfortable driving position.
9. Quick-release steering wheel
The quick-release steering wheel was another popular design that allowed the steering wheel to be detached from the steering column with the push of a button.
Initially, the design was marketed as an anti-theft device, allowing the steering wheel to be removed and stored in the trunk, discouraging potential thieves from trying to steal the car.
The motor racing community has adopted the quick-release steering wheel to allow easy entry and exit from race cars with limited cockpit space or for racing drivers wearing bulky safety equipment.
Easily removing the steering wheel allowed emergency personnel to quickly and easily remove the steering wheel to get the driver out after an accident. The quick release avoided delays on the track after an accident attempting to wrestle an injured driver behind the wheel.
This steering wheel style is no longer considered legal on the streets, especially with the development of the steering wheel airbag to protect the driver in the event of a major collision.
10. F1 drive wheels
In the early days of motor racing, the steering wheels were large and round, providing better spinning power for drivers as they struggled with the car around the track.
Enhanced steering and smaller driver spaces in Formula 1 cars require a redesign of the steering wheel for these race cars.
Formula 1 or Formula 1 cars feature specially designed steering wheels with a quick-release design and other features. These steering wheels are not quite round, with the upper third and lower third removed from the rounded outer rim.
This truncated steering wheel leaves only the left and right sides of the steering wheel for drivers to grasp and rotate to steer the vehicle. The steering wheel is full of sensors and readings to provide the driver with up-to-date information on the vehicle's performance.
The steering wheel in Formula 1 cars usually has to be removed for the driver to enter or exit the narrow cockpit of these race cars.
11. Custom driving wheels
At the height of the era of powerful cars and street racing, many cars were equipped with specially designed steering wheels. The classic custom design of the steering wheel of these cars was a chain with links welded together in the circuit and chrome-plated steel to a finished mirror.
All of these types of custom steering wheels are banned in most locations in favor of steering wheels designed in accordance with the minimum safety requirements of the automotive industry.
The bottom line
The functionality of the steering wheels does not allow much space for innovation in design. However, some car manufacturers have made innovations in this vehicle component and have remained within the limits of safety and functionality.
Most drive wheels in modern cars are more of an integrated control center than a simple car steering.
