The Sayer steering wheel could be detached to continue its functions in its owner’s home, where it could be set on a table or mantle.
In a future where cars are self-driving, the only part of them that drivers may own is the steering wheel.
That's the idea behind Jaguar Land Rover's "Sayer" concept, unveiled last week at the British car maker's technology showcase in London.
The oblong steering wheel would be equipped with microphones, speakers and artificially intelligent software which could act as a personal assistant to drivers. It could also be detached to continue its functions in its owner's home, where it could be set on a table or mantle.
"It's a totem of ownership that represents an emotional and digital connection with the brand," said Hugo Nightingale, creative specialist in advanced exterior design at JLR. "It's for the people who are really passionate about driving."
The Sayer could carry out hundreds of tasks, the company says, similar to current artificially intelligent voice-controlled software such as Amazon's Alexa and Google Assistant, which are increasingly being found in smartphones, speakers and home appliances.
When attached to a vehicle, for example, the Sayer could suggest driving routes or warn of approaching traffic delays. When detached and in a home, it could provide its owner with reminders on when to wake up in the morning or automatically order an autonomous car to arrive at a certain time.
The steering wheel – named after Malcolm Sayer, designer of Jaguar's E-Type – could be part of an owned vehicle or represent membership in an on-demand service club, where users would attach it to cars that they share with others.
The Sayer is also the key part of the Future Type, also unveiled last week, JLR's autonomous and electric concept car. The sleek vehicle, which looks like something out of a science-fiction movie, features two-plus-one seating, where the passenger seat faces the driver so both occupants can have face-to-face conversations.
Unlike some car makers that are expecting vehicles to be completely self-driving, JLR wants drivers to always have the option of taking over, hence the continued presence of the steering wheel.
"Driving is at the heart of our brand," Mr. Nightingale said. "It's not that you need the steering wheel to use the Future Type, but what about those people who want to drive on the weekend or other times? This is how we balance both sides of that equation."
The Sayer and the Future Type are merely concepts for now, he added, but they do represent the company's expectations of what driving could look like in 2040.
"This whole project is a stimulation for debate. It stimulates our design teams as we go off and do other products as well. It's very much about thinking ideation."
Industry analysts say the removable steering wheel idea is "very outlandish," but it's a good indication that JLR is thinking ahead – and in the right direction.
"They're going to need to maintain a connection with the consumer inside and outside of their vehicles because otherwise it's something that's handed over to Google or Amazon or others," said Mark Boyadjis, principal analyst and manager at IHS Markit. "That's essentially what they're trying to conceptualize and prevent, that customer interactivity being handed off to someone else."
A number of car makers have this year announced partnerships with Amazon, Google and Microsoft to incorporate the tech companies' respective voice assistants in coming models.
Alexa, Google Assistant and Cortana are expected to allow drivers to verbally control an increasing number of functions in their cars, from setting temperatures and seat positions to dictating and requesting destinations and directions.
Auto manufacturers are thus under pressure to start working on their own virtual in-car butlers, or risk having the technology companies make deeper inroads into their customer relationships.
"It's the threat car makers already see," Mr. Boyadjis said. "They're seeing the need to retain that consumer awareness. In the future, it's going to be really important."
The writer was a guest of the auto maker. Content was not subject to approval.
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