Do you remember the junior high school biology lesson about human skeletons? It taught that male and female skeletons are basically the same except for the pelvis. I used to believe this—until I sat in a female friend’s car. Everything changed.
Have you ever tried to drive a car right after a woman? Let me tell you, it’s a surreal experience. The key wouldn’t fit, the seat felt like it shrank, and the steering wheel seemed to occupy all available space. In that moment, I finally understood Ah Du’s song I Should Be Under the Car, Not in the Car—it’s not just a love song, but a survival guide born from countless struggles.
Just as my hip was still aching, I stumbled upon a patent application by Huawei’s Invision: the foldable steering wheel.
Patent: Foldable Steering Wheel (CN120096662A)
- Publication Date: June 6, 2025
- Summary: The steering wheel can fold into two parts (upper and lower rims) that retract under the dashboard when the car is parked. This creates more legroom for entering/exiting and transforms the cabin into a resting space.
Netizens joke that Huawei is paving the way for autonomous driving, but let’s be real—this is about solving a universal problem: how to fit into a car seat when the steering wheel is in the way. Even with seat memory functions, there’s always that moment when the seat hasn’t adjusted yet, and you’re left struggling to get in.
How it works:
- When the car turns off, the steering wheel folds and retracts automatically.
- In “rest mode,” the folded steering wheel frees up space for stretching legs, crossing them, or even using a small table for meals.
- No need to redesign the steering column—just fold the wheel, making it compatible with most vehicles.
But foldable steering is just the beginning. Car manufacturers have been experimenting with wild steering wheel tech, and Huawei is leading the charge with another innovation: gesture-controlled steering wheels.
Patent: Gesture Interaction on Steering Wheel (CN116529125A)
- Publication Date: August 1, 2023
- Concept: The steering wheel is divided into virtual zones, each mapped to functions like air conditioning or media. Users perform hand gestures (e.g., “L-shape” for volume control, thumb swipes for track changes) to operate them.
- Example: Hold the right-top zone and swipe left/right to change songs; form an “L” with the index finger and thumb on the audio zone to adjust volume by rotating.
While this sounds cooler than touchscreens, I can’t help but wonder: Why not just use voice commands?
Other brands are getting creative too:
- Li Auto’s ECG Steering Wheel: Embedded electrodes detect the driver’s heart rate to monitor fatigue, using ECG technology (similar to Apple Watch but always active while holding the wheel).
- Volvo’s Sliding Steering Wheel: A steer-by-wire system lets the wheel move from left to right (or center), ideal for drivers switching between left/right-hand drive countries. Imagine fighting couples effortlessly shifting driving responsibility to each other—”You drive!”
In the end, whether it’s folding, gesturing, or sliding, these innovations show that car tech is moving beyond functionality to solve real-life nuisances. Who knows? Maybe one day, steering wheels will become as versatile as smartphone apps—just don’t expect them to make driving arguments any less frequent.
