Nowadays, technology now allows us to control a vehicle’s trajectory using drive-by-wire or steer-by-wire systems. Simply put, this means electrical signals can alter the movement of a car’s wheels, rather than relying on a mechanical connection between the wheel, steering rack, front axle and front wheels. But steer-by-wire systems offer more than just an electronic option over a mechanical one; it also sets the groundwork for us to move our cars around differently – such as with a simple joystick. Saab experimented with joystick steering in its Prometheus prototype more than 20 years ago, and mainstream carmakers might throw them into their concept vehicles, but the device has never caught on.
Source: BBC Autos
