M.J. Dainoff (Ed.): Ergonomics and Health Aspects, HCII 2007, LNCS 4566, pp. 180–188, 2007. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2007 Design of an Adaptive Feedback Based Steering Wheel Mauro Dell’Amico 1 , Stefano Marzani 1 , Luca Minin 1 , Roberto Montanari 1 , Francesco Tesauri 1 , Michele Mariani 2 , Cristina Iani 2 , and Fabio Tango 3 1 Department of Methods and Sciences of Engineering, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, via Amendola 02, padiglione Tamburini, 42100 Reggio Emilia, Italy {dellamico, marzani.stefano, minin.luca, montanari.roberto, tesauri.francesco}@unimore.it 2 Department of social, cognitive and quantitative sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Viale A. Allegri 9, 42100 - Reggio Emilia, Italy {mmariani, ciani}@unimore.it 3 Centro Ricerche Fiat – Department of Advanced Safety, Strada Torino 50, 10043 Orbassano, Italy fabio.tango@crf.it Abstract. This paper aims at describing the architectural model of an adaptive force-feedback for a By Wire steering wheel system. This solution uses a steering wheel to replicate the reactive torque law which allows the driver to complete a precise driving scenario or a task with the higher performances. Then, the steering wheel adapts the reactive torque to the driving scenario. Since the design of this system considers the driver performances, it is called Ergonomic Steer-By-Wire. Now a prototype version of the ESBW is connected on a professional driving simulator and several tests are going to be conducted in order to tune the system components. Adapting the force feedback to the driving scenario could be a solution for improving driver’s safety and vehicle control. Keywords: HMI, steer-by-wire, driver performances. 1 Introduction: Human Factors Studies in Steering Systems The aim of the study is to create a reconfigurable force-feedback system for a by-wire steering wheel (Zheng, 2005) which allows the driver to complete a precise driving scenario with the higher performances. The force feedback manager which takes care of the human performance is called Ergonomic Steer-By-Wire (ESBW). The field of “X-by-wire” systems have been investigated and used in other fields, such as the avionic and is now being largely explored within the automotive area. This study selected a SBW control due to a technical reason: in a SBW no mechanical junctions between the front wheels and the steering control are necessary, and hence the steering dynamic can be completely reconfigurable. It is in fact electronically commanded and can be completely controlled by a software. In literature each force feedback law reproduced by the steering wheel can be classified into two categories: