Patents Reveal Ferrari Has Crazy New Ideas About Driving
In a patent filed with the European Patent Office on June 6th of this year, Ferrari is proposing an entirely new way to operate a traditional sports car. The patent shows a driver leaning forward, in a very motorcycle-like position, although Ferrari refers to it as ‘horseman-like’, which is on brand for a manufacturer featuring a prancing horse logo.
The driver is both sitting and lying on a support to free up all their limbs to operate the car. Their feet rest on a set of airplane-rudder-like-pedals, one for acceleration and one for braking. Alternatively, those two functions can be controlled through buttons on either of the control sticks that are located at each outstretched arm.
This is the third in a series of patents about alternative driving positions filed by Ferrari. In the earlier patents, it is described that moving either of the control sticks left steers the vehicle left, and moving them right will sensibly steer right.
A stranger function of the control sticks is to move the actual driver around. Pushing the sticks forward or back will control the yaw rotation of the driver control area. Either hand can be used to push or pull, or both hands can be used at the same time to the equal effect. Moving the right stick forward and the left stick backward causes a counterclockwise rotation. Moving the right stick back and the left stick forward causes a clockwise rotation.
In the patent, it describes how this ergonomically works with how one would move their body in a yaw rotation. Ferrari claims this driving position provides a more dynamic posture for sporty driving. It’s like combining motorcycle riding, with air plane controls, while operating a car.
It’s also appears this radical driving set-up is intended for a traditional road car. We could easily see this driving-position idea showing up in some futuristic single-seater racing concept down the road. But judging by the picture above, it’s intended for Ferrari’s road cars, or at least that’s the impression we get.
Will we ever see this ‘horseman-like’ driver set-up on a future Ferrari product? Only time will tell.
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A 20+ year industry veteran, Mike rejoins the AutoGuide team as the Managing Editor. He started his career at a young age working at dealerships, car rentals, and used car advertisers. He then found his true passion, automotive writing. After contributing to multiple websites for several years, he spent the next six years working at the head office of an automotive OEM, before returning back to the field he loves. He is a member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC), and Midwest Automotive Media Association (MAMA). He's the recipient of a feature writing of the year award and multiple video of the year awards.
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