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Motors
Will Autonomous Cars Stop the Love of Driving….?
Words MHH International-A Prestige Car Importer With the world possibly headed for an autonomous automotive future what about motorists? What happens to the world of driving when the steering wheel is removed? There are plenty of motorists who love the very act of driving; that feeling of being in control as we twist and turn, legally, along country lanes and major highways. Car makers love to highlight the relationship between car and driver but will that even still exist if the steering wheel is removed? The Steering Wheel Conundrum So much of what a car badge stands for is tied up in the relationship between the driver and car. This is especially true of Startupmagazine.co.ke October 2019
sports cars, hot hatches and the like. How a vehicle reacts to steering inputs is one of the key factors that determines how the owner feels about a car. If a sporty drive is promised, as with some of the prestigious cars we offer for sale, then even the small inputs from the steering will be quickly transmitted to the front wheels, giving the driver that sense of control. Remove the steering wheel, and the point of a sporting car seems removed entirely. Everything that makes a motor come alive in the hands, like taut suspension or the quick steering, is just not satisfactory when the driving is handed over to a computer. The focus now seems to be on comfort, relaxation and the ability to
turn round and play cards with the children. The truth is out there: One of the bosses of the mighty Porsche empire is know to have stated, “The Porsche sports car will be one of the last automobiles with a steering wheel”. Not Everybody Is At It Though On the plus side the BMW brand has never shown an autonomous concept car without a steering wheel, even when the concept idea is looking deep into the future. Its Vision iNext SUV, shown earlier this year, featured a wheel that retracted in ‘2Ease’ autonomous mode. Premium car makers seem to favour BMW’s approach, imagining a world where autonomous driving co-exists with traditional methods of control. Let the car deal with
