If only Alfred knew!

Are you familiar with Alfred Vacheron? The French engineer is regarded as the inventor of the steering wheel, which he first used in 1894 in the legendary Paris-Rouen race in a ‘Panhard’ car. Although he did not make it onto the winners‘ podium, his development very quickly asserted itself in the industry against the back-then conventional steering bar. Whilst today it is still primarily about steering the car in the desired direction, the original steel skeleton has long since been transformed into an impressive multifunctional tool. Since 1981, it has not only increasingly housed an airbag, but has also gradually developed into a control centre for gearstick, horn, steering wheel heating, audio settings, cruise control, hands-free system and much more.

What many car drivers do not realise: All of these functions are connected to a single spring, the so-called clock spring – also known as a steering wheel spiral cable, a rotary cable or steering column ribbon cable. It is the link between the steering column and the movable steering wheel. It is used to transmit the airbag trigger signal and other control signals for the additional coupled components mentioned above. It is a coil with a ribbon cable that winds and unwinds with every movement of the steering wheel. So far, so good. However, if a conductive strip on the cable breaks over time – due to wear or, for example, if the steering wheel is turned too sharply – this can quickly compromise the driver's safety if the airbag does not activate in the event of an accident.

Corrosion, extreme temperature fluctuations, vibrations or dust and dirt can also impair the movement and function of the clock spring. Signs of this can be that the warning light in the cockpit lights up, there are strange noises or you feel unusual resistance when turning the steering wheel. It is therefore better to act immediately before something happens. AIC has a large selection of clock springs for various applications in its range.