Sumitomo Riko Co., a Nagoya-based auto parts maker, has developed a system that can determine whether a driver is holding the steering wheel, a piece of technology that could prove to be indispensable for semi-automated cars.
The firm aims to start commercial production of the system — designed to enable drivers to switch from autonomous driving to manual control safely in case of emergencies — in the 2020 business year.
The so-called Smart Rubber sensor, made of anti-vibration electrically conductive rubber material, can determine which part of the steering wheel a driver is holding by detecting a change of pressure.