A folding BMW steering wheel that brings back the nostalgic memories of creating those articulated figures from a piece of paper in my later childhood days. A very practical concept design indeed for the future of automotive.
The automotive industry is steadily shifting towards a landscape where semi-autonomous and ultimately fully autonomous driving in electric cars is the next horizon to look for. Even more, so is the shift in vehicle interior preference which is trending towards a comfortable and minimalistic lounge set up on a whole. This is when the need for a foldable steering wheel will be felt.
Keeping this future-forward vision in mind, designer Lars Welten has ideated an origami-inspired steering wheel. This design comes with the modular freedom of folding into itself and retracting back into the dashboard when not required. For times when the vehicle is put in completely autonomous mode or parked for some fun time watching the setting sun. The steering wheel has a folding structure that immaculately collapses into itself.
The folding action is supported by the strong fiber threads running along the face of the wheel. Those sci-fi aesthetics of Lars’ proposed design are matched with the cool dual-color fabric inserts. The minimalism of this BMW steering wheel trickles down to the number of buttons available upfront. Only two knobs on each side are available to tweak the driving modes, and everything else is ditched. This hints at the use of this wheel in a BMW vehicle that has trimmed down interiors for complete relaxation. Interiors where simplicity and ambient visual appeal take precedence.
The execution of this concept steering wheel is practical and not something beyond the reach of automotive companies. Just look at that folded-down position, how little space it would take in the vehicle’s dashboard. Also, the folding ergonomics are on point to attract attention.
From the folks who got you the NANO Garden comes something much more comprehensive and expandable. Meet MULTO, a vertical kitchen farm that occupies the…
Ask yourself. Is a design good if it won an award? Or is it good if it positively impacted people? The latter sounds like the…
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/hushblankets/hush-iced-the-awesome-cooling-and-sleep-inducing-b? How well you sleep at night can have a direct impact on our mood the following day… and nobody likes a cranky co-worker! So,…
The Stitch chair transforms a 2D single sheet of aluminum into 3D situational seating with a simplistic yet sophisticated system of folds and carefully placed…
Who hasn’t dreamt of laying on the clouds?! This playful seating collection called Cirrus brings the fluffy stuff indoors in a whimsical series of gentle…
The “Hi” Bench is a friendly home object that’s the first to wish you on your way and the first to greet you when you…
We’re an online magazine dedicated to covering the best in international product design. We have a passion for the new, innovative, unique and undiscovered. With our eyes firmly focused on the future.
Editorial Standards and Ethics / Privacy Policy