Peugeot exhibited its Inception concept car and its new steering wheel called Hypersquare at the Vivatech show. This second one will become reality in less than 2 years, but what is so revolutionary about this steering wheel?
If the Inception concept catches the eye, it is especially concerning the steering wheel installed on board that the brand has communicated some additional information.
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From 2026 in the new Peugeot products
This funny steering wheel called Hypersquare could well appear in two years on new Peugeot models. An arrival that will be much faster than we can imagine, so we might as well prepare for it now.
If you found the steering wheel of the Peugeot i-cockpit a little small, this one is even more compact. This Hypersquare steering wheel with its rectangular shape is not yet set in stone, even if the very principle of this new steering wheel (and its customization) seems established.
Steer-by-wire steering and control customization
Steer-by-wire steering will gradually arrive on production vehicles. This means that there is no longer a physical control between the steering wheel and the wheels, but it is electronic. The sensations when driving will evolve with this innovation. The Tesla Cybertruck already offers it, the Lexus RZ is further refining the settings before offering it to its customers, and Peugeot will join them in 2026. In any case, it is a big step forward in automobile design, always with advantages and disadvantages of the solution.
The customizable controls on the steering wheel are the second new element in Peugeot's approach. The 4 circles, which hide touch controls, can be changed to suit the driver's wishes and habits. Unlike traditional buttons on steering wheels which are often fixed and reduced to a very specific command (raise or lower the volume, engage the cruise control or other), this steering wheel offers a wider choice of possibilities. This could prove particularly ingenious.
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A steering wheel that is a little confusing
One thing is certain to take in hand, this steering wheel disrupts our habits a little. However, Tesla's Yoke steering wheel, Lexus' butterfly steering wheel and other shapes – already less round than in the past – should have accustomed us to new steering wheel formats.
It's not so much the rectangular shape that concerns me, but the thickness of these prototypes and the materials used. It must be said that the models exhibited on Vivatech are 5 cm thick, with a fairly wide low-curvature part.
This probably won't shock men and women with large hands, but in my case, the grip is not as natural as the brand claims. We will certainly have to put away in a corner of our memory the years of holding a round and thin hoop. Both the final shape and the materials used may still change between now and the marketing of the first models equipped with these steering wheels.
The 4 circular cells, to use the brand's term, should quickly be adopted. There is little concern here about how users will manage to use them with their thumbs. It remains to be seen how this screen integrated into the steering wheel for displaying personalization will work outside the comfortable environment of a living room or a development office.