Nøloos

red dot
red dot award: design concept 2007

design:
Victor Gerardo Martinez

Nøloos is a steering wheel that takes basic ergonomics and safety into consideration in a new way.

Sometimes, car components are designed for stylistic purposes without much consideration of how they are used. New models are sometimes produced quickly, with little critical design reassessment, in order to replace older ones that could have benefited from re-evaluation. Regular steering wheels, for example, force the hands and arms into abnormal positions when the driver makes a tight turn. In some cases, the driver has to take the hands away from the steering wheel, which makes driving unsafe. 

Nøloos is designed with two handles that can turn on their own axes independent of each other and also from the main (central) turn axis of the steering wheel. When the driver performs a tight turn, he or she is always able to keep one hand on the steering wheel, while the opposite handle will maintain its original position to avoid interfering with the legs. Nøloos uses simple mechanical springs, and locks the steering wheel to its function without the need for high technologies or special production processes. Nøloos is able to incorporate electronic controls to increase the versatility and safety when driving.