TDS-auto
TDS replaces the steering wheel with a fixed, fan-shaped touch surface: fingertip position sets the road-wheel angle, and maximum lock narrows automatically with speed. Less mechanics, more cabin space, precise control – designed for electric, drive-by-wire and adaptive vehicles.
TDS-auto
TDS-auto
Romania, Bacau
Founded by: Sebastian-Eugen Negrea
Team: Sebastian-Eugen Negrea
TDS (Touchpad Driving System) is a new steering interface for road vehicles. Instead of a rotating wheel, the driver uses a fixed, fan-shaped touch surface. Fingertip position maps to road-wheel angle through a gradient control law, and the usable steering range narrows with speed to keep lateral acceleration within a safe envelope (45° at 5 km/h, under 2° at 100 km/h). A safety layer filters unintended touches, holds the lane and takes authority when the predicted path leaves the road. The concept was first published in 2016; today TDS runs as a working interactive driving simulator with traffic and junctions. We are seeking engineering partners, an OEM or Tier-1 pilot and seed funding to build a steer-by-wire hardware prototype.
Facts and numbers
Key facts
- 1-5 Employees
- Proof of concept development stage
What we have achieved:
2016 – TDS concept authored; EU Community Design registered at EUIPO (2016–2021)
Speed-dependent steering law derived from a constant lateral-acceleration target: 45° road-wheel angle at 5 km/h, 1.8° at 100 km/h, in line with recorded driving data
Interactive first-person driving simulator with junctions, traffic lights and IDM-based traffic
Guardian safety layer: lane hold against unintended touches, smoothed lane changes, emergency authority on road departure or oncoming traffic
Headless numerical validation: zero collision frames under touch noise, correct overtaking behaviour
Investor package completed: 12-slide pitch deck, 24-month financial model (2.5M USD lean seed / 4.1M USD full programme), project website
Outreach pipeline of 136 international investors and accelerators, with tracking
IP roadmap defined for the safety arbitration layer and gradient control field
Our interests:
Funding, automotive, mobility, Human-Machine Interface, Drive-by-wire, Electric vehicles, Industrial partners, Funding, automotive, mobility, Human-Machine Interface, Drive-by-wire, Electric vehicles, Industrial partners