Steering wheel systems and torque feedback actuator assemblies for use in steer-by-wire vehicles

1. A vehicle comprising:

a dashboard having an opening;

a steering wheel system to interface with a steer-by-wire system of the vehicle, the steering wheel system disposed adjacent the opening, the steering wheel system including:

a steering wheel; and

a torque feedback actuator assembly to provide torque feedback to the steering wheel;

a rail coupled to the dashboard; and

a bracket, the steering wheel system coupled to the bracket, the bracket slidably disposed in a slot in the rail, wherein a frictional interface between the bracket and the rail holds the bracket relative to the rail until a threshold force is exerted, thereby enabling the steering wheel system to move into the opening upon application of a force on the steering wheel system that meets or exceeds the threshold force.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the rail is disposed along an inner peripheral edge of the dashboard defining the opening.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the rail is a first rail and the bracket is a first bracket, the vehicle further including:

a second bracket coupled to the dashboard; and

a second rail, the steering wheel system coupled to the second bracket, the second bracket slidably disposed in a slot of the second rail.

4. The vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the first and second rails are disposed in the opening.

5. The vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the second rail is disposed on an opposite side of the opening as the first rail.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the torque feedback actuator assembly includes:

a housing coupled to the bracket;

a helical gear rotatably disposed in the housing, the steering wheel coupled to and coaxially aligned with the helical gear; and

a motor with a worm gear engaged with the helical gear to provide the torque feedback to the steering wheel by driving the helical gear.

7. The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the housing is coupled to the bracket via a threaded fastener.

8. The vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the bracket includes a first portion and a second portion, the housing coupled to the first portion via the threaded fastener, the second portion disposed in the slot of the rail.

9. The vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the first and second portions form a 90° corner.

10. The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the housing has a smaller diameter than the opening.

11. The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the torque feedback actuator assembly includes:

an electronic control unit (ECU) circuit board; and

an angle sensor to measure a rotational angle of the helical gear, the angle sensor coupled to the ECU circuit board adjacent the helical gear.

12. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the torque feedback actuator assembly does not include a steering column extending into or through the dashboard.

13. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is operable in an autonomous driving mode.

14. A steering system for a vehicle, the steering system comprising:

a steering wheel system to interface with a steer-by-wire system of the vehicle, the steering wheel system aligned with a recess in a dashboard of the vehicle, the steering wheel system including:

a steering wheel; and

a torque feedback actuator assembly to provide torque feedback to the steering wheel;

a rail coupled to the dashboard;

a bracket, the steering wheel system coupled to the bracket, the bracket slidably disposed in a slot in the rail; and

a strap or a tab disposed in the slot, the strap or the tab to break when a threshold force is exerted, thereby enabling the steering wheel system to move into the recess upon application of a force on the steering wheel system that meets or exceeds the threshold force.

15. The steering system of claim 14 , wherein the rail is disposed along an inner peripheral edge of the dashboard defining the recess.

16. The steering system of claim 14 , wherein the torque feedback actuator assembly includes:

a housing coupled to the bracket;

a helical gear rotatably disposed in the housing, the steering wheel coupled to and coaxially aligned with the helical gear; and

a motor with a worm gear engaged with the helical gear to provide the torque feedback to the steering wheel by driving the helical gear.

17. The steering system of claim 16 , wherein the helical gear includes a threaded opening, the torque feedback actuator assembly including:

a bolt threadably engaged with the threaded opening, the bolt to move in a linear direction into or out of the threaded opening as the helical gear is rotated;

a first stop disposed on a first side of a head of the bolt; and

a second stop disposed on a second side of the head of the bolt, wherein, when the helical gear is rotated beyond a threshold amount in either direction, the head of the bolt engages one of the first or second stops and prevents further rotation of the steering wheel.

18. A vehicle comprising:

a dashboard;

a steering wheel system to interface with a steer-by-wire system of the vehicle, the steering wheel system including:

a steering wheel; and

a torque feedback actuator assembly to provide torque feedback to the steering wheel;

a plate, the steering wheel system coupled to the plate;

a shaft extending from a rear of the plate and through an opening in the dashboard;

a beam on an opposite side of the dashboard as the steering wheel system;

a tube coupled to the beam, the shaft extending into the tube; and

a locking lever coupled to the tube to lock the shaft relative to the tube, the locking lever to enable the shaft to move into the tube when a threshold force is exerted, thereby enabling the steering wheel system to move into the opening upon application of a force on the steering wheel system that meets or exceeds the threshold force.

19. The vehicle of claim 18 , wherein the shaft and the tube are splined to prevent the shaft from rotating relative to the tube.

20. The vehicle of claim 18 , wherein the steering wheel system is removably coupled to the plate via threaded fasteners.