Ferrari Unveils Revolutionary Configurable Cabin: The Future of Personalized Driving
by AutoExpert | 15 February, 2024
The latest Ferrari patent could be mistaken for something you would associate with a race simulator, except it serves for real-life challenges and involves allowing a car’s driver controls and seat to move in any direction the driver chooses - meaning the cabin is completely configurable.
This offers the possibility to test it with an engineer or coach and eventually complete it alone in the same car while tasting the experience of a central driving position. It allows improving driving lessons by letting the trainer be in charge of the pedals while the trainee beholds the steering - or provides the opportunity to switch sides of the car when a traveling enthusiast drives across the world.
As you may have imagined, moving controls can’t behold fixed connections between them and the segments they are in control of. In fact, to ensure that everything works properly in the cabin, it should all be controlled by wires. Meaning that steer-by-wire like the Cybertruck, clutch-by-wire, and brake-by-wire.
The Ferrari patent suggests that it may house three pedals, although there is no information regarding how one might operate a manual transmission. Regardless, Ferrari comes up with the following solution: gathering up and stretching connections, with "at least one rack gear" and a hinged "toothed engagement element."
Meaning that when the steering wheel and pedal box move, these are still physically connected to the wire controllers. Of course, the wireless alternatives will be available someday, but for now, Ferrari will put to good use cable support chains. Everything would move to the center in tandem, however, the pedal box, direction, and seat will be adjusted based on the position in the cabin that has been selected.
Recently, Ferrari dropped numerous myriad patents with a similar theme. These include patents for infinitely adjustable seats, Forza-style driver aids, bodywork that moves with the suspension, and an extra automatically adjusting cockpit.
Analyzing all these patents, we can’t help but wonder if Maranello's R&D department received a mandate for creating a transformer car. With a customized cockpit and bodywork compatible with both the circuit and road requests, Ferrari engineers might turn the hardcore Ferrari 296 of tomorrow into a 499P-rivaling hypercar.
Regardless of the future, Ferrari is far from running out of ideas, and whatever powers its supercars, a decade from now will be hardly as impressive as this technology.
