It may seem a strange question, but thanks to a growing trend in the car industry, the possibility of a world without steering wheels is becoming increasingly likely.
For years the domain of concept cars, multiple car-makers are now pushing ahead with vehicles that feature alternatives to conventional steering wheels. Tesla is the most famous example, introducing the so-called ‘yoke’ in 2021 on its Model S and Model X offerings, while Lexus has a similar option in overseas markets.
Peugeot is the latest brand to publicly commit to ditching the steering wheel as we know it, previewing its ‘Hypersquare’ alternative in the recently revealed Inception Concept. The Hypersquare is a rounded-off rectangle with four circular holes on the sides and a digital panel in the centre that replaces a conventional round wheel. Peugeot will introduce a production version of the Hypersquare by 2026 in a model yet-to-be-confirmed.
The key difference between the Tesla yoke and what Lexus and potentially Peugeot are offering, is how the ‘yoke’ is connected to the front wheels. In Tesla’s case it is the same conventional steering system, which requires multiple turns for lock-to-lock operation. This makes it difficult to drive at low speeds, when parking or whenever a lot of steering lock is required, and has seen Tesla reintroduce a circular steering wheel as an option on both models.
However, the Lexus and Peugeot options pair their non-traditional ‘steering wheels’ to a ‘steer-by-wire’ system, which removes a physical link to the turning wheels. This means the steering has a reduced turn lock-to-lock and can be programmed for better response when turning at low speeds and sharp corners, making it a more user-friendly alternative for a non-round steering wheel.
As Jerome Micheron, product director for Peugeot, explained, this is the key to making non-round steering devices work.
“It’s a very big change,” Mr Micheron said. “The game-changer is we’re relying on steer-by-wire technology, which is totally changing the way you are driving your cars.”
However, the bigger question beyond functionality, is whether customers want cars without a steering wheel or not?
Mr Micheron said Peugeot is currently testing the Hypersquare with would-be customers to garner feedback ahead of its production introduction, but is confident it will be accepted in the same way Peugeot’s i-cockpit (which uses a small diameter steering wheel and high-mounted instrument panel) was.
Mr Micheron suggests that younger, more tech-savvy buyers who have grown up with computer games and want more autonomous electric cars are happy to lose the conventional steering wheel.
“[Hypersquare] is inspired by the digital world, the gaming world,” he explained. “We believe we are quite successful with i-cockpit, which was a bold decision 10 years ago to bring more fun, more driving pleasure, more sensation with the small steering wheel.”
He added: “We are convinced with the BEV, we have a new field of expression and the way you are driving an EV car is a bit different from a traditional ICE. So this is bringing a new gesture, this is driven by expectation by the customer and what I can share with you and the acceptance of this new gesture and the Hypersquare is very, very good, so we’ll keep working on it.”
He went on to say that while the first application will be in 2026, “there’s no reason” why Peugeot wouldn’t spread Hypersquare across all models in the next decade.
However, not all car companies believe the round steering wheel is headed for extinction soon. Audi Australia director Jeff Mannering is more measured in his view on the transition away from convention.
“I think there is a certain base of people that love technology and want to know when are we going to have fully autonomous cars,” Mr Mannering said. “I’ve been asked ‘when are they going to come?’, but that’s like asking how long is a piece of string?”
Audi has revealed several concept cars that feature non-circular steering devices, some that even fold away in full-autonomous mode, but Mr Mannering doesn’t believe that technology is around the corner.
“I think people are really interested the technology behind it, but I don’t believe it’s a conversation ‘can I get that car in the next two years?'”
Keyword: Would you buy a car without a proper steering wheel? Why car brands believe ditching a round wheel is the future, even if buyers aren't demanding change