Abstract: A steering wheel includes a damper unit and an airbag cover configured to move, when a horn is activated, in a horn operation direction with respect to an airbag housing. The damper unit includes a damper made of insulating material coupled to the airbag housing, a switch assembly coupled to the airbag housing in an insulating state via the damper and coupled to the steering wheel to be continuously energized, and a spring. The spring is coupled to the airbag housing to be continuously energized and selectively electrically conducted with the switch assembly depending on whether the airbag cover is in contact with the switch assembly due to elastic deformation when the airbag cover moves in the horn operation direction.

Abstract: A system for detecting hands-on or off of a steering wheel and a method thereof, include a direct sensor configured for detecting a hands-on sense value depending on a grip area of the steering wheel; an indirect sensor configured for detecting a hands-on sense value depending on a magnitude of a torque for rotating the steering wheel; and a controller connected to the first sensor and the second sensor and combining a direct hands-on sense value detected by the direct sensor and an indirect hands-on sense value detected by the indirect sensor to each other to determine a grip state of the steering wheel depending on a combined hands-on sense condition, and then to display and warn a result of determining the grip state of the steering wheel through an output unit.

Abstract: A system for detecting hands-on or off of a steering wheel and a method thereof in which hands-on or off detecting rate and accuracy are improved by determining a hands-on or off state by interlocking a direct sensor and an indirect sensor, may include a direct sensor configured for detecting a hands-on sense value depending on a grip area of the steering wheel; an indirect sensor configured for detecting a hands-on sense value depending on a magnitude of a torque for rotating the steering wheel; and a controller connected to the first sensor and the second sensor and combining a direct hands-on sense value detected by the direct sensor and an indirect hands-on sense value detected by the indirect sensor to each other to determine a grip state of the steering wheel depending on a combined hands-on sense condition, and then to display and warn a result of determining the grip state of the steering wheel through an output unit.