VW Develops Self-Driving Interface

Volkswagen AG has filed a patent in Germany for an interface that would allow drivers to interact with automated driving functions without disabling the self-driving mode, reports VWVortex.com.

The system will request driver input in certain situations while the car is being operated autonomously, such as whether to pass a slow-moving vehicle. Drivers can instruct the vehicle on how to proceed by tapping or swiping commands on a touch-sensitive control pad on top of the gear shift knob, according to the online publication.

Drivers can completely disengage the self-driving mode by grabbing the gearshift lever, the report says. The touchpad also could be placed elsewhere in the cockpit within easy reach of the driver.