Japanese automaker Toyota Motor unveiled a pedal-free driving system that uses only hand controls at the Para Athletic World Championships in Kobe, Japan.
The new cockpit concept, Neo Steer, is reminiscent of motorcycle handlebars, integrating the functions of the accelerator and brake pedals into the steering wheel.
Toyota first revealed the concept to the public at the Japan Mobility Show in November 2023.
Acceleration controls are on the right side of the wheel and brakes are on the left.
The driver uses the right thumb for the gas, and the fingers of the left hand to slow down.
Steering is controlled by electric signals, allowing the driver to turn without using a hand-over-hand motion.
The floor space is spacious without pedals and offers an unrestricted driving position.
Aims to allow people with lower limb impairment to drive more easily
Originally developed to help people with lower limb impairment drive more easily, the company says it “offers regular drivers the option of a completely new experience behind the wheel,” in a press release.
“I don’t think wheelchair users are the only ones eagerly awaiting such controls,” Taiki Morii, a para-alpine skier with a lower limb impairment, wrote in the press release.
At the international competition, Taiki test-drove a car with Neo Steer and said he believes “a lot of people will be able to get freedom of movement with this system”.
The Neo Steer system is still in the prototype stage, but the company aims to launch it as early as possible.
The Para Athletic World Championships in Kobe, the 11th edition of the competition, gathers over 1,000 athletes from more than 100 countries to compete in 168 medal events.
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