FR3031717A1 - MOTOR VEHICLE STEERING SYSTEM AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME - Google Patents

Abstract

Motor vehicle steering system (1) (23) comprising a steering element (3) rotatably mounted about an axis of rotation (5), and at least one display element (7) having at least two zones touch, which can be activated to make an entry. The touch zone (9, 9 ') which can be activated is displaced according to the steering angle of the steering element (3) around the axis of rotation (5) and / or depending on the gripping position of the vehicle driver (23) on the display element (7).

Description

Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a motor vehicle steering installation comprising a steering element rotatably mounted about an axis of rotation and at least one display element having at least tactile zones, display element having at least one touch zone that can be activated to make an input. The invention also relates to a method for managing such a steering installation.

State of the art According to document DE 10 2009 038 333 A1 a motor vehicle steering wheel is known having a first touch pad integrated in the steering wheel to enter orders and preferably a second touch pad integrated in the steering wheel, separate from the first touch pad and used to enter orders. The first and second touch pads are fixed on the steering wheel. For example, the first touch pad is integrated in a first radius of the steering wheel and the second touch pad is integrated in the second radius of the steering wheel. The disadvantage of this solution is that the driver can activate the touch pads only in a certain gripping position which according to the steering angle of the steering wheel can be a very impractical operation. OBJECT OF THE INVENTION The present invention aims to develop a steering system of a motor vehicle and its management method to overcome such disadvantages to facilitate the use of touch surfaces if possible regardless of the position rotation of the steering wheel. DESCRIPTION AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION To this end, the subject of the invention is a motor vehicle management installation comprising a steering element mounted for rotation about an axis of rotation and at least one display element having at least one of the tactile zones, the display element having at least one touch zone that can be activated to effect an input, the steering installation being characterized in that at least the contact zone that can be activated is displaced. on the display element according to the steering angle of the steering element about the axis of rotation and / or depending on the gripping position of the driver of the vehicle.

The result is the advantages over the state of the art. The possibility of moving the contact area which can be activated is preferably positioned in each situation, irrespective of the practical steering angle of the steering element and / or independently of the practical grip position of the driver for at least one contact zone is optimally accessible to the driver. In particular, it is possible to place at least one touch zone or touch zone that can be activated, always in the grip zone of the driver, in particular under a finger of the driver so that the tactile zone can be actuated in a safe and simple manner, at least practically in every driving situation. According to a preferred exemplary embodiment, the steering installation has a steering wheel-shaped steering element, which constitutes a particularly simple and practical embodiment of the steering element. The display element is preferably made with at least one large surface sensitive to touch, especially in the form of a touch screen preferably as a TFT display (screen formed by a matrix of thin film transistors). In a particularly preferred manner, the display element is everywhere sensitive to touch. The display element is in this case a particularly flexible and multiple use, offering the maximum comfort of use to the driver. The display element preferably allows the entry and / or exit of orders and / or information by or for the driver. The entry is made in particular by the touch of at least one touchable zone that can be activated, abbreviated as "active zone", and the transmission is done by displaying information on the display element which is preferably in the form of a display such as a touch screen and especially in the form of a TFT display.

The display element is especially designed to display a contact zone or touch zone. The limits of the touch zone are preferably in the form of lines or other appropriate markings which has the advantage of allowing the driver to see at any time where is precisely at least one tactile zone that can be activated. This minimizes the risk of false maneuvers of the display element which ensures the proper management of the vehicle. The fact that at least one touch zone can be activated to make an entry means in particular that the touch zone is switched to be touch sensitive in that the touch of the display element in the touch zone will be operated. In particular, if the display element is everywhere sensitive to the touch (touch) is thus preferably defined at least one area in which the contacts of the display element are actually operated while the contact (touch) of the display element in other areas will not be exploited. The susceptible touch sensitive zone is an area in which the touch of the display element is exploited. The activation of only certain limited areas of the display element for the operation of the contacts has the advantage of being able to control the vehicle in a defined manner, in particular to be able to enter orders so that the touch random or accidental display element outside the active touch zone has no consequences. The active touch zone is also preferably developed especially as a touch zone limited locally where the display element is not only sensitive to touch (within certain limits), but also allows the operation of the contacts with the display element. . The term "gripping position" of the driver means the holding of the steering element and in a particular way, the position of the driver's hand on the steering element. The gripping position is essentially characterized as the relative position of the driver's hand relative to the steering element. The fact that at least one active touch zone can be moved on the display element means in particular that the active touch zone can be moved relative to the display element and in particular with respect to a system. coordinates subtended by the display element. Thus, the driver touching for example with his right hand a time position at 9 o'clock will be moved from a time position to 12 o'clock and thus the touch zone activates on the display element (compared to the subtended coordinate system by this one) will also be moved from a 9 o'clock position to a 12 o'clock position. The steering angle displacement (moving angle) moves the active touch zone according to the steering angle, ie either with respect to a display element displaced with the steering element, or to a fixed display element relative to the steering element. In the latter case, it is possible, for example, for the active touch zone to follow the steering movement and thus also typically the driver's hand on the otherwise fixed display element. In this case, when the display element is moved with the steering element it is possible to move the touch zone in the opposite direction to the steering movement. In particular, to compensate for the steering movement (steering movement) so that finally the touch zone remains fixed and preferably precisely fixed with respect to a coordinate system subtended by the vehicle. This makes it possible to have reproducibly the tactile zone for the driver and this in particular always in the same way. It appears that the touch zone always remains positioned correctly and in the appropriate place for the driver. Preferably, a set of active touch zones is distributed over the display element and / or the steering installation comprises a set of display elements with each time at least one active touch zone as is mentioned above. In both cases, there is for example associated a first touch zone in the left hand of the driver and a second touch zone is associated with the right hand of the driver. The contact areas may be displaced depending on the steering angle and / or the position of the driver's hands on the display element or on the display elements. The display element is feasible as a touch pad and preferably includes at least rudimentary display facilities, particularly for displaying the boundaries of an active touch zone. According to another characteristic, the display element is a touch screen, that is to say a touch sensitive (touch sensitive) screen having multiple and complex display possibilities to display the activated contact zones and / or complex information for the driver. According to a preferred embodiment of the steering installation, the display element is rotatably mounted with the steering element, which has the advantage that in this case the display element is associated with a steering element. particularly simple manner lo the steering element and in particular to the support plate of the steering element or is integrated therein. In this case, the displacement, as a function of the steering angle of the active touch zone makes it possible in particular to compensate for the current steering angle in particular, if for the steering maneuver, the driver changes the position of the hands 15 so that in a turn it can hold the steering element in a characteristic position corresponding to a straight line trajectory. In a variant, the display element is fixedly installed with respect to the steering element, which is advantageous for the touch of the display element since there is no transfer of movement of the display element. 20 rotation. In this case, it is preferentially provided that the active tactile zone follows the steering to remain always associated with the region of the driver's hand that guides. A development of the steering installation is characterized in that the display element is at least partially transparent. It is preferable that the display element is completely transparent. The partial or total transparency of the display element has the advantage of allowing the driver to always see the control instruments that equip for example the dashboard of the vehicle through the display element. Preferably, the main function of the display element for recognizing the inputs of the driver by the touch of the display element corresponds to at least one touch zone. Likewise, the display element preferably has less rudimentary display facilities for marking at least one active touch zone and in particular for indicating the boundaries of that zone. This makes it possible to display for the driver, in addition or in a variant, the context information, in particular the current functional occupation of the active touch zone. According to a preferred embodiment of the guide installation, the display element occupies about 360 ° and preferably precisely 360 ° in the peripheral direction about the axis of rotation. This corresponds to a complete circle, that is to say 360 °. The display element extends in particular around the hub of the guide element and in particular the steering wheel about 360 ° and preferably about precisely 360 °. According to a first development, the display element is of annular shape and notably surrounds the inner zone of the steering element which is for example a support plate. In this case, for example, it is possible to install an airbag in the region of the hub of the steering element and the display element surrounds the airbag in an annular shape. According to another development, the display element has the shape of a circular disk and in this case, unlike the annular embodiment, the center has no recess, but the shape of a continuous circular disk. This allows it to develop in the region of the hub of the steering element and to be in particular in place of the support plate of the steering element or to be installed on the support plate. This embodiment is possible in particular if the front air bag of the vehicle is not installed in the steering wheel, but in another place, for example in the area of the vehicle roof. In a particularly preferred manner, the display element which extends over 360 ° and preferably exactly 360 ° around the axis of rotation is everywhere sensitive to contact, anywhere around the axis of rotation. , in particular being made globally as a touch screen or as a TFT display. Alternatively, the display element is responsive to contact only in areas distributed over the display element. The areas selected preferably are those in which the driver's hands are generally located. This allows economy and provides a very large comfort for multiple service options of the display element. It is also possible that the display element does not occupy substantially 360 ° or exactly 360 ° around the axis of rotation but consists of a set of display elements themselves distributed around the axis of rotation. rotation axis. Preferably, the display elements are generally touch sensitive. This makes it possible to move at least one active touch zone from one display element to another display element, by a displacement or a sudden displacement. The display elements are preferably in the areas in which the driver places his hands, typically. In particular, the distribution of the display elements and / or the zones sensitive to the touch of the display element correspond on the one hand to the positioning of the left hand and, on the other hand, to the positioning of the driver's right hand. thus allowing the use of the display element by both hands. According to a development, the steering installation is characterized by an input device for capturing the steering angle. The input installation makes it possible, in a simple way, to enter the steering angle (steering angle). The input installation is preferably selected from the following group: steering angle sensor, position sensor, camera installation. A steering angle sensor makes it possible to directly enter the steering angle of the steering element in a simple and fast manner. A position sensor also makes it possible to detect the rotation of the steering element of the axis of rotation and thus to obtain the steering angle. Finally, a camera installation makes it possible to directly observe the steering angle; this camera installation preferably has an image-processing installation so that with the aid of the image of the steering element it can determine the steering angle. This preferably results in a dynamic determination of the steering angle in the form of continuous image recognition, especially in real time. Alternatively or additionally, the steering installation preferably has an input device for grasping the driver's gripping position. In particular, the input device makes it possible, in a simple and fast manner, to enter the gripping position of the driver. In a particularly preferred manner, the input device is selected from a group comprising a capacitive sensor and a camera installation. The capacitive sensor is integrated in an outer gripping segment, in particular the crown of the steering wheel connected to the hub by at least one radius and using the capacitive sensor the position of the driver's hand relative to the element is obtained. direction by the local variation of the sensor's ability to approach the driver's hand. The gripping position of the driver will be captured in a particularly precise, simple, fast and particularly real with a camera installation that takes the images of the plane with the driver's hands placed on the steering wheel; the camera installation includes an image exploitation facility for determining the grip position of the driver relative to the steering element. Advantageously, the steering angle sensor is a sensor that is typically implemented in vehicles, which avoids additional sensors. The camera installations observing the driver are more and more developed, which makes it possible to use installations already equipping the vehicle without the need for an additional sensor but at the very least an additional operating logic. The invention also relates to a vehicle equipped with a steering system according to any one of the examples developed above. Vehicle benefits are those already described for the steering installation. The motor vehicle is particularly a passenger vehicle, but it is also possible to apply the invention to commercial vehicles or trucks. The subject of the invention is also a method of managing a steering installation as defined above consisting of: grasping the steering angle of the steering element and / or a grip position of the driver and activate and / or activate and / or move at least one touch sensitive zone that can be activated according to the display element according to the steering angle entered and / or according to the gripping position entered by the driver.

The method has the advantages already developed above about the steering installation. According to a development of the method, the display element or at least the active touch zone are globally neutralized when the hands of the driver do not touch the steering element. This prevents accidental activation of the display element. This allows in particular to activate the touch sensitive zone that can be activated at the moment when the driver's hands approach the steering element or surround it. The active touch zone (that is to say, capable of being activated) can then be activated in a particularly precise manner on the display element, where the gripping by the driver's hand is detected. When the driver moves his grip, the active touch zone will preferably be moved with the driver's hand.

According to another characteristic, the display element used in the context of the method is a touch pad and in particular to use the applications appearing on another image screen, for example that of the central console of the vehicle. This makes it possible to display on the display element only the rudimentary information, in particular the limits of the active touch zone or the functions of the active touch zone, for example the adjustment of the sound volume, the possibilities of input or other options. Alternatively, the display element can serve as a screen, including a touch screen and using the active touch zone, it will display applications that are controlled directly on the display element. According to a development of the method, the context-dependent information is displayed on the display element for the driver in at least one display area. This makes it possible to display for the driver on the display element in at least one display area, depending on the context, all the important information currently or interesting. The displayed information preferably depends on the driving situation or the driving context. For example, it is possible to indicate to the driver a phone book if he wants to make a call on the phone or if an entry is made. Depending on the traffic conditions, the speed limits, the instantaneous speed, the current engine speed and other important information can be displayed to the driver. Alternatively or additionally, in the context of the method, context-dependent functions are preferably activated for at least one active touch zone which allows the touch zone to modify the function associated with it, depending on the context. This makes it possible to display for the driver, in the active touch zone, always the control elements that are useful or important for the current context. For example, the touch zone that has the control function of a windshield wiper, when the rain sensor detects the beginning of the rain. It is also possible for the touch zone to include phone functions, such as taking a call, ending the call, or changing the volume for the driver who wants to make a phone call or receive a call. According to another characteristic, the active touch zone always indicates a return button, that is to say a button with a return function to the main menu or the screen, that is to say the clean screen. . With the help of the return button, the driver can return to the main menu at any time, from there to turn back to the subordinate menu points.

According to a development of the method, the display area rotates and / or moves on the display element according to the steering angle (steering angle). Thus, the display area will preferably be rotated in the opposite direction of the steering angle so that the information displayed in the display area is always straight for the driver, regardless of the steering angle, this which significantly increases the readability of the information displayed. For example, a tachometer disk virtually presented on the display element in a display area will always be represented in a standing position, regardless of the steering angle that the steering element takes at a given moment. But it is also possible to turn the display with the steering angle. Alternatively or additionally, the display areas can be moved on the display element according to the steering angle which allows a display area to be displayed in the upper central area of the display. steering element, regardless of the current steering angle. This makes it possible to always display important information and / or concerning safety in areas located at the particular point of perception of the driver. In a particularly preferred manner, the display areas on the display element rotate or shift according to the steering angle so that the display area is always straight in the central upper zone, independently of the steering angle. the steering angle. The capture of the steering angle and the rotation and / or displacement of such a display area are preferably in real time. The driver is not delayed and in a particularly preferred manner the display will not jerk during the steering movement. The important information thus remains in the same position with a right orientation, regardless of the steering angle or steering angle.

But it is also possible to rotate a display area with the steering angle and / or to move it, in particular by turning the display element at the same time as the steering element without active movement or rotation of the display area or in that the display area is moved according to the steering angle, in the same direction on a display element remaining fixed relative to the steering element. This allows a particularly intuitive presentation for the driver whose eyes follow the rotational movement of the steering element. Correspondingly, one can also, very simply, consistently select the areas of contact with the fingers and in particular with the thumb. According to a development of the method, information is presented to the driver on the display element according to a predefined priority associated with the information and / or different display areas. In particular, it is possible to dynamically display always-characteristic information in the appropriate place. Less important information will be discarded and presented in less visible places on the display element. In particular, it is possible to give the different display areas a predefined priority. In particular, in the main display zone, in the upper central zone, when the steering element is not rotated, that is to say for the steering element in the straight-line trajectory position. This main display area has for example a virtual tachometer application which can also include other functions important for the driver when no special function is chosen and there is no critical situation, particularly concerning security, or that there is no warning message displayed. It is also possible to provide in the upper left and right of the display element, in particular in the vicinity of the main display area, secondary areas and, where appropriate, tertiary display areas. According to one feature, specific applications are loaded for the display element, for example from an application collection. These applications are preferably executed by a processor that also drives the display element.

In particular, depending on their importance vis-à-vis the safety or operation of the vehicle, the applications may have different priorities and be presented in different display areas of the display element according to their priority. The main display area preferably presents the functions currently selected by the driver and / or the content of these functions. The characteristic functions are those mentioned above, namely the basic display, a navigation application and / or a road map, the images of a video camera, for example for a parking maneuver, a leisure station, including the selection of sound sources or music or telephone services and in particular a video phone and other functions of this nature. It is also possible to assign a priority to each function. These priorities will then be used to decide which function will be displayed and in which display element if multiple functions are enabled. If, for example, a high priority function is enabled, it occupies the display area, especially the main display area, in place of a function that was there before and whose priority was lower. In particular, when a security function or a warning function is activated, this or these functions preferably occupy the main display area. It is then possible for example to repel the applications or less characteristic displays in a secondary or tertiary display area. As a variant, the new displayed function of higher priority has lower priority functions, will be presented above. Preferentially, the functions that correspond to driver-critical or safety-related warning messages have the highest priority. The main display area as well as the secondary area and the tertiary area can be either spatially separated or treated as overlapping areas. For example, it is possible to leave all the upper part of the display element in the main display area and to use the secondary and tertiary zones as overlapping areas in the left and right parts of the element. display. If the driver chooses a special function, preferably the tachometer application, the other important information will be moved in the secondary display area and / or in the tertiary display area while the function selected by the driver will be displayed in the display area. the main area. However, this function will be backed up by important safety messages or particularly critical warnings that require immediate attention. The main display area when rotating the steering wheel may be moved to one of the secondary or tertiary display areas due to the displacement of the display areas depending on the steering angle or superimposed. It has the same effect when the driver changes the position of the hands in the grip position. In this case, the functions displayed in the main display area are shown as overlapping or substituting in the secondary or tertiary areas, and the displayed functions will be moved in a less awkward manner in the marginal area of the display element. display, where appropriate in the lower area of the display element.

When a critical driving situation requiring immediate attention occurs, the important, characteristic warning message will preferably be displayed in all cases in the main display area. All other less characteristic content will in this case be completely removed so that the driver focuses totally on the critical message or indication of danger. It is also possible to leave a very high priority, the return button already described or even the maximum priority so that it will always be displayed on the display element in the main display zone, or in a zone secondary school or in a tertiary area. However, it is also possible to push back the return button with essential information, directly related to security. In general, specific information with low priority may not be displayed if it obscures other important, currently displayed, and higher priority information. One can then keep under the same conditions a contact function associated with lower priority functions even if they are not currently displayed.

As a variant, the information and / or the lower priority functions are shifted or moved in neighboring display elements, less in relief so as not to hinder the main display area. Finally, the subject of the invention is an embodiment of the method characterized in that the display element uses simple contact gestures or multiple contact gestures for recognition. In particular, one can have contact inputs with both hands for distributed functions or complex orders. In a particularly preferred manner, the display element distinguishes between simple contact gestures and multiple contact gestures. Simple touch gestures are performed in a characteristic manner with either the right hand or the driver's left hand, or as simple movements or directions such as up or down, left, the right, or diagonally. These gestures can be used for example to move a selection index. Multiple gestures use an entry from both hands or at least one entry using two fingers. In a particularly preferred manner, for the operation of multiple contact gestures, two separately activated activated touch zones are used, in particular a first active touch zone for the driver's left hand and a second active touch zone for the right hand of the driver. Such multiple contact gestures are used for operations developed, for example for a movement of unwinding or movement of contents, including documents, maps, images or to zoom for example to expand or retract contents or displays. The display element preferably distinguishes between the inputs with the left hand and those with the right hand and the contact inputs are preferably associated with the gripping position of the respective hand as follows: left "will preferably be recognized for tangential movement with respect to the steering element in the following manner: for the left hand as movement towards the outer limit of the steering element and for the right hand as movement towards the center of the steering element.

A "rightward movement" will be interpreted preferentially for tangential movement with respect to the steering element: for the right hand as movement towards the outer limit of the steering element and for the left hand as movement towards the center of the steering element.

An "upward movement" will preferably be recognized as follows for tangential movement with respect to the steering element: for the left hand as a vertical upward movement if the left hand is between the 7 o'clock position and the 11 o'clock position on the steering element and as movement to the left if the hand is between the 5 o'clock and 7 o'clock positions and for a right-hand movement if the hand is between the 11 o'clock and 13 o'clock positions. For the right hand, the upward movement will be interpreted as vertical upward movement if the hand is in a time position between 1 o'clock and 5 o'clock and for a left-hand movement if the hand is in a time position between 11 o'clock and 13 o'clock. hours and for movement to the right if the hand is in a time position between 5 am and 7 am A "downward" movement will be interpreted for tangential movement with respect to the steering element as follows: for the left hand, as a vertical downward movement if the hand is between the 7 o'clock and 11 o'clock positions, as a movement to the right if the hand is in the hourly positions between 5 o'clock and 7 o'clock and as a left-hand movement if the hand is in a time position between 11 o'clock and 1 o'clock. For the right hand, the downward movement will be recognized as a vertical downward movement if the hand is in a time position between 1 o'clock and 5 o'clock and as a movement to the right if the right hand is in a time position between 11 o'clock and 13 o'clock and as movement to the left if the hand is in a time position between 5 am and 7 am Finally, it is possible to install and use the display element or processor related to the display element to learn, in general, contact tests. In this way we can learn driver-specific usage tests. The steering installation is preferably installed to use the usual command gestures such as for example those of computer tablets. It is thus possible, for example, for the driver to zoom the map displayed on the display element by using the usual two-finger gesture used on a tablet. Drawings The present invention will be described hereinafter in more detail with the aid of examples of a steering installation and a method of managing such an installation with the aid of the appended drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a first exemplary embodiment of the steering installation, FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of a second exemplary embodiment of a steering installation, and FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of the steering installation; Operation of the second exemplary embodiment according to Figure 2. Description of embodiments Figure 1 shows schematically a first embodiment of a steering installation 1 of a motor vehicle having a steering element 3 rotatably mounted around an axis of rotation 5 and which is constituted by a steering wheel. The steering installation 1 further comprises at least one touch-sensitive display element 7 which corresponds at least partially and totally to the entire display area. The display element 7 allows the driver to enter orders and issue information to the driver. The display element 7 further comprises a touch zone that can be activated to make an input; in the example shown and in the operating mode shown, there are exactly two touch zones 9, 9 '; a first touch zone 9 is associated with the driver's right hand 11 and the second touch zone 9 'is associated with the driver's left hand 11'. According to the practical examples of embodiment of the direction installation 1 and according to the practical mode of operation, particularly according to the context, the display element 7 may have more or fewer tactile zones 9, 9 'than two, for For example, no tactile zone, especially when transmitting a critical driving mode or warning message, or even more than two tactile zones 9, 9 ', in particular to enable the driver to control a set of functions; different functions are associated with the different touch zones 9, 9 '. As shown in FIG. 1, the display element 7 displays the touch zones 9, 9 '. In particular, the contour of the tactile zones 9, 9 'has been shown so that the driver can see in which areas of the display element 7 he must touch to activate an input. The tactile zones 9, 9 'are made in the form of locally limited control zones. As already indicated, the display element 7 is in principle sensitive to the touch on its surface, but nevertheless it can be activated in touch zones 9, 9 'locally limited to make an entry. This means that only in the touch zones 9, 9 ', the touch of the display element 7 will actually be operated as an input. This ensures that any accidental touching of the display element 7 beyond the entry areas 9, 9 'will not result in an unwanted entry.

The steering installation 1 is characterized in that at least one touch zone (touch zone) activatable, here the two touch zones 9, 9 'move around the axis of rotation 5 as a function of the angle of steering of the steering element 3 and / or depending on the gripping position of the display element 7 by the driver.

When the steering element 3 is rotated about the axis of rotation 5 and / or if the driver moves at least one of the hands 11, 11 ', then at least one of the tactile zones 9, 9' will be displaced according to the rotation of the steering element 3 and / or depending on the variation of the gripping position of at least one of the two hands 11, 11 '. In particular, this touch zone 9, 9 'will be displaced relative to the display element 7, in particular with respect to a coordinate system subtended by this display element. This allows the driver to always have optimized and guaranteed access to the information and control elements of the vehicle; uninterrupted touch control is possible directly from the holding position of the wheel. In particular, the always characteristic information will be displayed dynamically at the appropriate place for the driver. The expression "gripping position" is here the position of the hands 11, 11 'on the steering element 3.

In the exemplary embodiment thus presented, the display element 7 rotates with the steering element 3. Thus, at any moment it will be fixed with respect to a system of coordinates integral with the steering element 3. In however, the display element will be rotated in common with the steering element 3 relative to the coordinate system subtended by the vehicle when the driver performs a steering movement. Alternatively, the display element 7 may be fixed relative to the steering element 3, so that it will not rotate in common therewith. FIG. 1 shows that the display element 7 of the embodiment shown extends over 360 ° (that is to say a complete revolution) in the circumferential direction about the axis of rotation 5 and especially around the hub 13 of the steering wheel. This display element is presented here in an annular form, that is to say a circular disc having in its center a recess for the hub 13 or for a support plate of the steering element 3. The hub 13 or the support plate may incorporate an airbag. In a variant, the display element 7 itself has a disk-like shape, in particular a circular disk without a central recess and thus extends continuously over the entire surface.

The steering installation 1 comprises an input device 15 which is presented here only schematically. This installation makes it possible to enter the steering angle and / or the gripping position. In particular, it is possible for the entry of a steering angle that the gripping device 15 comprises a position sensor integrated in the steering element 3 or that it comprises a steering angle sensor (angle of management). The input device 15 is integrated to enter the gripping position of the driver in the outer flywheel ring 17 with a capacitive capacitor to enter the gripping position. In the embodiment shown, the input installation 15 comprises an installation with a camera 19 which, in particular by an image recognition, makes it possible to grasp and exploit the steering angle and / or the gripping position. of the driver. According to a preferred embodiment, a management method of the steering installation 1, it captures the steering angle of the steering element 3 and / or the gripping position of the driver and one activates and / or the touch zone 9, 9 'which can be activated on the display element 7 is moved as a function of the entered steering angle and / or as a function of the grasping position of the driver.

It is thus possible, in the context of the method, to display on the display element 7 context-dependent information intended for the driver in at least one display area 21. Alternatively, in addition, it is possible to to activate the context-dependent functions for at least one touch zone 9, 9 '. For example, in normal driving mode, according to Figure 1, the driver will see, in the display zone 21, in the middle and in the central position, a tachometer application and left and right of the tachometer application, we will have other operating parameters of the vehicle. In normal driving and without specific selection by the driver, in the touch zone 9, 9 'will display the applications, preferably usual, for selection; the display will preferably be configured by the driver. In the embodiment shown here, in the second touch zone 9 'associated with the left hand 11', there will be on the left a return button and on the right a selection button to select the sound volume menu of the control system. sound system of the vehicle. In the first touch zone 9 associated with the right hand 11, there will be from left to right, the selection of a telephone application, a map and navigation application and a music application. When the driver selects a function, the specific information relating to this function will preferably be presented in the display area 21; the functionality of the touch zones 9, 9 'will vary accordingly. The function thus selected can be activated by the touch in the touch zones 9, 9 '. It is in particular possible to display the information for the driver on the display element 7, according to a predefined priority, the information and / or the different display areas 21. The information and / or high priority functions will be presented above the information and / or the lower priority functions-especially for the high priority display areas-will be pushed to other areas of the display element 7. Preferably, in the context of the method, the display areas 21 will be rotated and / or moved depending on the steering angle. This makes it possible, for example, to display the tachometer application, independently of the steering angle, always in the upright position and in particular preferably still in the upper central zone of the steering system 1. FIG. schematically a second embodiment of the steering installation 1 of a motor vehicle 23. The same elements or elements of the same function have the same references as above and reference will be made to the description already made. In this exemplary embodiment, the display element 7 is at least partially and in particular completely transparent; thus, the dashboard 25 located behind the display element 7 can be seen through this display element 7. The display element 7 is, however, designed to display delimitations, in particular contour lines for the display elements. tactile areas 9, 9 '. In addition, it is possible for the display element 7 to instantly display the active functions in the touch zones 9, 9 '. The tactile zones 9, 9 'can be displaced according to the steering angle and / or the gripping position of the driver on the display element 7. This is clear in FIG. 3 which shows the second embodiment of Figure 2 of the steering installation 1 in another operating state, in particular for another gripping position of the driver. The same elements or elements of the same function bear the same references and reference will be made to the description already made. With respect to the position of the hub 13, it can be seen that the steering element 3 of FIG. 3 has not been rotated with respect to the position of FIG. 2 so that the steering angle / steering angle is the even. But the driver has moved both hands 11, 11 'for example to initiate a steering movement. Thus, the tactile zones 9, 9 'are moved according to the new gripping position so that the first touch zone 9 can be activated as it is, directly with the right hand 11, in particular with the thumb and the second touch zone 9' can be activated correspondingly with the left hand 11 '. Preferably, the setting position of the conductor is detected by the input device 15 which is here a camera installation 19. The tactile areas 9, 9 'active are preferably designed to recognize the elementary gestures; such simple gestures include the upward movement (especially of the thumb), the downward movement, a leftward movement and a rightward movement. Thus, the diagonal movements are interpreted as a combination of such elementary gestures. With the aid of the coordinate braces 27, 27 'shown in the tactile zones 9, 9', it is made explicit that the recognition in the tactile zones 9, 9 'is preferably adapted according to the concrete position of the tactile zones 9, 9'. . In particular, the coordinate crosspieces 27, 27 'will be rotated with the displacement of the tactile zones 9, 9', that is to say, in particular so that the driver can always intuitively perform the elementary gestures described above. . Thus, it appears in particular that a movement directed essentially to the left (according to FIG. 3) for the right hand 11 (in particular a movement of the thumb) will be indicated as upward movement and a movement directed essentially to the right will be considered as a movement. descending. A movement of the right hand 11, in particular the thumb, which is essentially directed upwards, will be interpreted in the position shown in FIG. 3, of the touch zone 9 'as movement to the right; a movement directed essentially downwardly relative to the hub 13 will be interpreted as a movement to the left. This association is particularly the case when the first touch zone 9 is between the time position 11 and the time position 13 on the display element 7. This applies correspondingly (with respect to the symmetry left / right) for the second touch zone 9 'and the left hand 11'. The touch zones 9, 9 'are furthermore preferably installed to distinguish between the single touch gestures and the multiple contact gestures. Thus, the gestures of simple contacts are typically performed only by one of the two hands 11, 11 'and correspond in particular to the elementary gestures described above. The multiple gestures are gestures that are performed, especially with both hands 11, 11 'simultaneously and preferably constitute a combination of the elementary gestures described above. For example, it is possible that an upward movement of the left hand is combined with a downward movement of the right hand and vice versa to be exploited as an order to expand the display in the vertical direction. In the same way it is possible to exploit a downward movement of the left hand and an upward movement of the right hand (or reciprocally) as an order to compress the display in the vertical direction. For a horizontal extension or compression movement, we will have corresponding combined gestures in the right / left direction. The unwinding movements can be controlled for example by simultaneous movements in the same direction of the two hands 11, 11 ', for example upward movements on both sides or downward movements on both sides or left-right movements on both sides.

As a further remark: a particularly critical warning message and especially concerning security, preferably drives the displays and also all the tactile areas 9, 9 'of the display element 7 so that the critical safety message will appear exclusively in a prominent position and of appropriate dimensions on the display element 7, especially in the upper middle zone. This ensures that the driver's attention will be directed to this critical warning and / or safety message. Overall, the steering installation 1 and the method allow a dynamic, context-dependent, always adapted, correct and guaranteed representation of the information as well as the presentation of input possibilities for the driver. 20 NOMENCLATURE OF THE ELEMENTS MAIN 1 Steering installation 3 Steering element 5 Rotating axis 7 Display element 9, 9 'Contact zone / touch zone 11 Right hand 11' Left hand 13 Hub Input unit 17 External steering crown 21 Display area 23 Motor vehicle 15 27, 27 'Coordinate brace