As can be seen from Volvo's recent patent application submitted to USPTO, it has a strange sliding steering wheel, which can slide from one side of the center console to the other, allowing left and right driving.
Volvo's sliding steer-by-wire system is designed for highly autonomous (not fully automatic) cars, allowing the driver to control the car from any seat in the front row. This patent puts the steering wheel on the track, and at the same time provides two solutions for dashboard clustering-multi-screen interface of instruments behind the steering wheel or small screen that can slide with the steering wheel.
The patent also describes brakes and throttles activated and controlled by pressure-sensitive floor sensors. Further exploration of the patent will reveal that the steering wheel may also be in the middle position, which means that the driver can sit in the middle seat and others may sit on both sides. The patent also mentions a guide rail system designed for front seats and bar.
This idea of changing the front driver's seat to control the vehicle is not surprising. However, Volvo's thinking is ahead of time. It will take at least a few years, even decades, for fully automatic cars with zero labor force to become a reality. Even if highly self-driving cars are to be mass-produced, automakers and technology companies still need to solve many technical problems. Volvo's "magic steering wheel" is unlikely to come out soon.
This article comes from car home, the author of the car manufacturer, and does not represent car home's position.