Smart vehicle steering systems with control logic for touchscreen configurable steering wheels

Abstract

A method of operating a vehicle includes a vehicle controller receiving a key-on command to turn on the vehicle. A touchscreen display interface mounted to a central hub of a steering wheel assembly of the vehicle's steering system displays a wheel angle indicator at a first location and a soft touch controls set at a second location. A position sensor generates sensor data indicative of a steering angle of a front vehicle wheel and/or a position of a user's hand on a handwheel of the steering wheel assembly. The touchscreen display interface displays: the wheel angle indicator moved to a new orientation responsive to the sensor data indicating the front vehicle wheel's steering angle is a non-zero angle, and/or the soft touch controls set moved to a new location responsive to the sensor data indicating the user's hand position moved to a new position on the steering wheel assembly's handwheel.