Steering Wheels & Horns

A steering wheel is a type of steering control used in most modern land vehicles, including all mass-production automobiles. more...

The steering wheel is the part of the steering system that is manipulated by the driver; the rest of the steering system responds to the movements of the steering wheel. This can be through direct mechanical contact in rack and pinion steering, with the assistance of hydraulics in power steering, or in some concept cars and modern production cars such as the Toyota Prius entirely through computer control. To prevent motor vehicle theft, most steering wheels are locked if the ignition key is taken out of the ignition lock.

The first automobiles were steered with a tiller, but Packard introduced the steering wheel on the second car they built, in 1899. Within a decade, the steering wheel had entirely replaced the tiller in automobiles.

Steering wheels for automobiles are usually circular, the wheel being attached to the steering column by two or more spokes, apart from Citroën's single spoke type. Other types of vehicles may use the circular design, a butterfly shape, or some other shape. In countries where cars must drive on the left side of the road, the steering wheel is typically on the right side of the car; the converse applies in countries where cars drive on the right side of the road. The steering wheel is centrally located on certain high-performance sports cars, such as the McLaren F1, and in the majority of single-seat racing cars.

As a driver may have his hands on the wheel for hours at a time, steering wheels are designed with ergonomics in mind. However, the most important concern is that the driver can effectively convey torque to the steering system; this is especially important in vehicles without power steering. A typical design for circular steering wheels is a steel wheel with a rubberized grip molded around it. Some drivers purchase steering wheel covers to enhance the grip or comfort of the wheel, or simply decoration. Another device used to make steering easier is the brodie knob.

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