Daybreak Steering Wheel 2024-2025

For this year, we will be redesigning the steering wheel to address issues we had with the daybreak steering wheel from the 2023-2024 season.

What was the issue?

1. The steering wheel offers limited visibility for the driver

   1. The rounded top and height of the steering wheel made it difficult for the driver to view past the dashboard

2. Handles for the steering wheel are flat in texture and don’t have ergonomic grip/shape

   1. The current design for the handles are simply rounded and have no particular shape to mold to the driver’s hand

   2. The handles also aren’t comfortable in texture and material

3. Wiring covers/casing on the back of the steering wheel

   1. The wire cases weren’t placed/ shaped well in relation to the push-to-release cylinder for steering column. They limited access and weren’t as large to comfortably encompass all wires w/o damage.

How will we fix this the following 24-25 season?

1. Reshape the outline of the steering wheel to improve visibility in relation to dashboard

2. Redesign handle shape and grip to improve ergonomics and comfort

3. Redesign wiring cases to improve accessibility to steering column and make the most of available space

Preliminary Steering Wheel Design Documentation

Assignee: @Akash Pradeep

Design Review: Dec 7, 2024

Shown below is some documentation of the steering wheel’s redesign:

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Steering wheel front view

Shown above is the front view of the steering wheel showcase its outline. Evidently, the shape is less circular, increasing visibility for the driver.

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Redesigned handle shape/grip

Shown above is a picture of the redesigned steering wheel handle shape/grip. It features a more ergonomic silhouette, adapting to the driver’s hand and ultimately improving grip and driving quality.