Patent ID: 8405496
Filing Date: 2013-03-26
Classification: B60Q,B60W,B62D

Abstract:
1. A vehicle having a steering wheel watcher system, comprising: a plurality of steering wheel sensors for detecting a presence of a driver hands; wherein the plurality of steering wheel sensors are arranged in two or more groups; wherein a first group of steering wheel sensors is located to a left of a vertical center line of the steering wheel; wherein a second group of steering wheel sensors is located to a right of the vertical center line of the steering wheel; one or more vehicle speed detectors; an in vehicle alarm for alerting the driver of an unsafe driving condition; a timer for determining an elapsed time; a control system; wherein the control system is connected to the plurality of steering wheel sensors, the one or more vehicle speed detectors, the timer and the in vehicle alarm; wherein the control system does nothing in response to an output from the plurality of steering wheel sensors when the one or more vehicle speed detectors indicates a vehicle speed below a first preset speed; wherein the control system starts the timer when the vehicle speed is traveling above a second preset speed and only one of the first group of steering wheel sensors or second group of steering wheel sensors indicates the presence of the drivers hands and sounds the in vehicle alarm when the timer reaches a predetermined elapsed time; a hand comfort device for providing comfort to the driver; wherein the hand comfort device is a hand warmer or; wherein the hand comfort device is a vibrator; wherein the system controller activates the hand comfort device based on a trip history.