This 1986 Oldsmobile Concept Car Has One Of The Coolest Steering Wheels We've Ever Seen
When you think of the car of the future (or at least a hypothetical, sci-fi movie-inspired future), what's the first major change that comes to mind? Hoverjets? Autopilot? Miniature fusion engines? All good guesses, but in order to facilitate all those advanced upgrades, we need to start from the bedrock of the car's concept. What's the most obvious thing we must change in a car before anything else? The answer is the steering wheel.
The steering wheel is the primary point of interface between a car and its driver, so if we want to take both into the future, we need that steering wheel to be as futuristic as realistically possible. While such a steering wheel may not exist in the commercial car market as of now, once upon a time, we got a glimpse of such a thing. In the far-off year of 1986, the Oldsmobile Incas dared to dream of a new steering wheel paradigm, among other futuristic accouterments. Did they stand the test of time? Well, it never moved past the concept stage, so obviously not, but we can dream.
The car of the future, in the past
Amongst the many vaguely sci-fi-inspired concept cars that appeared throughout the 1980s, the 1986 Oldsmobile Incas is a standout for just how much it commits to the bit.
The most eye-catching element of the Incas' design is its steering wheel. Or, perhaps, "steering handle" would be more accurate, as this thing is anything but wheel-shaped. The handle features two parallel metallic grips surrounded by just about every single button you could possibly have on a car's dashboard. It does not just turn signals or windshield wipers as you'd find on a regular car — the Incas' handle is where you'll find the transmission shifter, the hazard lights, the headlight controls, HVAC controls, and more. In fact, there is not a single button or lever anywhere else on the dashboard. It's all right there on the handle.
If that handle weren't retro-futuristic enough for you, another major highlight of the Incas' design is in its doors. When you think of retro-futuristic car doors, the gullwing doors of the DeLorean probably spring to mind, right? Indeed, that's the same kind of doors that the Incas are packing, but only for the rear seats. To get into the driver or passenger seat, the entire front of the car's hood folds up to let you in.
The Oldsmobile Incas may not have ever hit production status, but maybe someday, we'll all be driving around in cars with sci-fi steering wheels.