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53-549: GLT may refer to: Transport [ edit ] Bombardier Guided Light Transit technology Gladstone Airport , Queensland, Australia Glenrothes with Thornton railway station , Scotland Great Lakes Transportation , an American company Other uses [ edit ] Glatfelter , an American paper manufacturer Goal-line technology , in association football Great Lakes Theater , Cleveland, Ohio, US G-TELP Level Test , an English language test Topics referred to by

106-436: A bolt circle pattern with six bolts placed along a circle 70 mm in diameter. Other examples of common bolt patterns are 3×1.75 in (44.45 mm), 5×2.75 in (69.85 mm), 6×74 mm and 6×2.75 in (69.85 mm). The quick release itself is often proprietary. The steering wheel should be used with strategic movements of the hand and wrist in spinning motions. Caution and care should be used to ensure

159-584: A central guidance rail , they ride on rubber tyres, not on rails . There has been disagreement about whether they should be called "trams", for that reason and also because they are capable of being steered and operating independently of the guidance rail, using auxiliary diesel engines. GLT is effectively a model of guided dual-mode bus , but when GLT vehicles use a pantograph to collect current, as do those in Caen, they are not commonly considered to be trolleybuses . English transport publications generally refer to

212-496: A steering wheel (though it is not used when following a guidance rail), and are capable of operating independent of the guideway. Steering wheel A steering wheel (also called a driving wheel , a hand wheel , or simply wheel ) is a type of steering control in vehicles . Steering wheels are used in most modern land vehicles, including all mass-production automobiles , buses, light and heavy trucks, as well as tractors and tanks . The steering wheel

265-489: A buffer or absorber between the driver's hands and the vibration transmitted from the road surfaces. Most were three- or four-spokes made of four or five wires in each spoke, hence the name "Banjo". Edward James Lobdell developed the original tilt wheel in the early 1900s. A 7-position tilt wheel was introduced by the Saginaw Division of General Motors in 1963 for all passenger car divisions except Chevrolet which received

318-481: A conventional tram system . While the GLT's central guidance rail is not significantly less expensive than the rails needed by regular trams, the overall system can be installed at a lower cost since existing trolleybus wires can be used without the installation of tracks, and not all new sections need rails or electric wires installed; even if the entire passenger route is equipped with guidance rails and wires, as in Caen,

371-495: A decade, the steering wheel had entirely replaced the tiller in automobiles. At the insistence of Thomas B. Jeffery, the driver's position was also moved to the left-hand side of the car during the 1903 Rambler production. Most other car makers began offering cars with left-hand drive in 1910. Soon after, most cars in the US converted to left-hand drive. Steering wheels for passenger automobiles are generally circular. They are mounted to

424-420: A detachable or a quick-release hub. The steering wheel can be removed without using tools by pressing a button. The system is often found in narrow-spaced racing cars to facilitate the driver getting in and out, as well as in other cars as an anti-theft device. The quick-release connector is often brand-specific, with some makes being interchangeable. The most common mounting pattern is 6×70 mm, which denotes

477-452: A diameter as possible to reduce the effort needed to turn. As cars grew progressively lower and driver's areas more compact throughout the 1960s and 1970s, steering wheels became smaller to fit into the interior space. The number of spokes in the steering wheel has continuously changed. Most early cars had four-spoke steering wheels. A Banjo steering wheel was an option in early automobiles. They predate power steering. The wire spokes were

530-516: A front-mounted engine and a steering wheel mounted on the left-hand side. However, the early automaker adopted a more "conventional" rear-engine and tiller-steering layout for its first mass-produced Ramblers in 1902. The following year, the Rambler Model E was largely unchanged, except that it came equipped with a tiller early in the year that was changed to a steering wheel by the end of 1903. By 1904, all Ramblers featured steering wheels. Within

583-400: A locking ring surrounding the center hub and offered a 3-inch (76 mm) range of adjustment. A swing-away steering column was introduced in the 1961 Ford Thunderbird and made available on other Ford products during the 1960s. The swing-away steering wheel allowed the steering wheel to move 9 inches (229 mm) to the right when the transmission selector was in the "park" position to make

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636-521: A locknut before adjustment, many using the Douglas ASW (Adjustable Steering Wheel). In 1949, the Jaguar XK120 introduced a new steering wheel supplied by Bluemel that was driver-adjustable by loosening a sleeve around the column by hand. The 1955-1957 Ford Thunderbird had a similar design with 3 inches (76 mm) of total travel. In 1956, the travel was restricted to 2 inches (51 mm). A patent

689-565: A section with a 13% grade. Compared to buses, the use of a guidance rail allows GLT vehicles running in parallel lanes to pass closer together than drivers could safely steer. They can also draw up to level, tram-like platforms that allow for easier boarding, and give access to passengers dependent on wheelchairs without requiring the time-consuming deployment of ramps or 'kneeling' systems. The GLT systems in place have experienced some mechanical problems which, though they have largely been resolved, have discouraged some other cities from adopting

742-414: A square-type steering wheel with rounded corners, described as a 'squircle'. The objective of the flat bottom is to ease diver egress while the flattened top enhances the line of sight when driving. General Motors applied for a US patent for a modular steering control that can be updated with components or changed in shape ranging from a traditional circle to a yoke. In countries where cars must drive on

795-431: A total length of 24.5 metres (80 ft 5 in), GLT vehicles are shorter than most modern trams, but long compared with conventional buses. They are designed to look like trams, but they are unidirectional and have bus-like rear-view mirrors . They have 100% low floors , have 40 seats, and have standing room for as many as 105 passengers. In Caen, where the central guidance rail had been installed on all sections of

848-452: Is accomplished when the ignition key is removed from the ignition lock. See steering lock . The driver's seat and steering wheel are centrally located on certain high-performance sports cars, such as the McLaren F1 , and most single-seat racing cars. As drivers may continuously have their hands on the steering wheel for many hours, these are designed with ergonomics in mind. However,

901-417: Is also noticeably higher with the guided bus than a tram. Where snowfall is an issue, this system may not be practical: since the guide rail forms the return leg of the electrical circuit, accumulation of ice and snow on the rail could cause intermittent power interruptions to the vehicle. Also, as the vehicle does not place a significant portion of its weight on the guide wheel (most of it being supported by

954-413: Is called dry steering . It is generally advised to avoid dry steering as it strains the steering mechanism and causes undue wear to the tires. The first button added to the steering wheel was a switch to activate the car's electric horn . Traditionally located on the steering wheel hub or center pad, the horn switch was sometimes placed on the spokes or activated via a decorative horn ring, which obviated

1007-413: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Bombardier Guided Light Transit Both of the systems in these cities are referred to as " tramways on tyres ", and in common with tram systems they use a surface guidance system and in normal operation are powered by electricity drawn from an overhead wire . However, while the vehicles are guided by

1060-437: Is otherwise focused on rail transport . GLT and the similar Translohr are often described as the tram equivalent of rubber-tyred metro technology, but this is not strictly accurate; while the GLT follows a central rail , the rail does not support the vehicle, and the actual wheels which are as independent as those of a regular bus . The wheels of rubber-tyred metros, on the other hand, are bound and guided by their rails in

1113-566: Is the brodie knob . A similar device in aircraft is the yoke . Water vessels not steered from a stern-mounted tiller are directed with the ship's wheel , which may have inspired the concept of the steering wheel. The steering wheel is better than other user interfaces and has persisted because driving requires precise feedback that is provided by a large interface. Early Formula One cars used steering wheels taken directly from road cars. They were normally made from wood. Without interior cabin packaging constraints, they tended to be made as large

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1166-431: Is the part of the steering system that the driver manipulates; the rest of the steering system responds to such driver inputs. This can be through direct mechanical contact as in recirculating ball or rack and pinion steering gears, without or with the assistance of hydraulic power steering , HPS, or as in some modern production cars with the help of computer-controlled motors, known as electric power steering . Near

1219-696: The Alstom Citadis tram to supplement its existing Eurotram fleet. Because of the problems encountered by cities which have purchased the Bombardier Guided Bus (one of which has demanded compensation for the costs it has had to pay for the GLT) Bombardier will not sell any more GLT systems, at least until all the issues have been resolved. GLT vehicles are legally considered buses, and they must bear number plates , rear-view mirrors and lights . Unlike trams and Translohr vehicles, GLT vehicles have

1272-423: The steering column by a hub connected to the outer ring of the steering wheel by one or more spokes (single spoke wheels being a relatively rare exception). Other types of vehicles may use a modified circular design, a butterfly shape, or some other shape, such as a yoke. On some Tesla models, the steering control is through a yoke rectangle shaped with rounded edges and two pistol grips. The C8 Corvette includes

1325-436: The "wrist-twist" steering of the 1965 Mercury Park Lane concept car was controlled by two 5-inch (127 mm) rings, none have yet been deployed as successfully as the conventional large steering wheel. Passenger automobile regulations implemented by the U.S. Department of Transportation required the locking of steering wheel rotation (or transmission locked in "park") to hinder motor vehicle theft ; in most vehicles, this

1378-529: The 1990s, a proliferation of new buttons began to appear on automobile steering wheels. Remote or alternate adjustments could include vehicle audio , telephone, and voice control navigation. Scroll wheels or buttons are often used to set volume levels or page through menus and change radio stations or audio tracks. These controls can use universal interfaces, wired or wirelessly. Game controllers are available for arcade cabinets , personal computers, and console games that are designed to look and feel like

1431-473: The GLT and the competing Translohr system as " rubber-tyred tramways ", but rarely simply as "tramways", as they are not tramways in the conventional sense, but neither are they buses when pantograph-equipped and operating in service as designed ( i.e. in electric mode). GLT was one of the few models (together with the Innovia APM ) of rubber-tyred vehicles produced by Bombardier's transport division, which

1484-487: The depot need not be located immediately by the track, saving planners from having to find space for a new yard in what may be a central and high-valued area of the city. Another advantage over trams, which was particularly of interest to planners in Nancy, is that rubber tyres give significantly more traction than steel wheels, and so can be used to climb steeper hills, up to a grade or slope of 13%. The Nancy route T1 includes

1537-505: The driver from the steering column in case of a crash. Power steering affords the driver reduced effort to steer the car. Modern power steering has almost universally relied on a hydraulic system, although electrical systems are steadily replacing this technology. Mechanical power steering systems were introduced, such as on 1953 Studebakers . However, hydraulically assisted systems have prevailed. While other methods of steering passenger cars have resulted from experiments, for example,

1590-417: The driver's exit and entry easier. A tilt-away wheel was introduced by Ford in 1967 after updates to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards requirements. Though it was an update to the swing-away steering wheel, which did not meet updated safety standards, it offers limited movement but added convenience due to the automatic pop-over function over its predecessor. Some steering wheels can be mounted on

1643-408: The high centrifugal forces exerted on the wheel when rounding corners. Due to this, a speed limit of 10 km/h (6.2 mph) is now enforced on corners. One of the main aims of the system, to achieve a lower cost per kilometre than trams, has failed. Other French tramways achieve a cost per kilometre at least 10% lower than that for the guided bus. Similarly, the cost per person of the vehicles

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1696-493: The left side of the road , the steering wheel is typically on the right side of the car (right-hand drive or RHD); the converse applies in countries where cars drive on the right side of the road (left-hand drive or LHD). In addition to its use in steering, the steering wheel is the usual location for a button to activate the car's horn . Modern automobiles may have other controls, such as cruise control , audio system, and telephone controls, as well as paddle-shifters , built into

1749-489: The most crucial concern is that the driver can effectively convey torque to the steering system, especially in vehicles without power steering or in the rare event of a loss of steering assist. A typical design for circular steering wheels is a steel or magnesium rim with a plastic or rubberized grip molded over and around it. Some drivers purchase vinyl or textile steering wheel covers to enhance grip and comfort or simply as decoration. Another device used to make steering easier

1802-593: The necessity of moving a hand away from the rim. Electrical connections are made via a slip ring . A further development, the Rim Blow steering wheel, integrated the horn switch into the steering wheel rim. In 1966, Ford offered the Highway Pilot Speed Control option with steering wheel pad-mounted rocker switches, on its Thunderbird . Uniquely, the Thunderbird also lightly applied the brakes and illuminated

1855-446: The passenger-service route, the vehicles collected their power from a pantograph , returning it through the central guidance rail, and used their diesel engines and steering wheels only while travelling to and from the depot. Use of a pantograph effectively requires that a surface guidance system be used, to ensure the vehicle remains approximately centred below the overhead wire , so that its pantograph does not slip out from underneath

1908-738: The principle. From 1898, the Panhard et Levassor cars were equipped as standard with steering wheels. Charles Rolls introduced the first car in Britain fitted with a steering wheel when he imported a 6 hp Panhard from France in 1898. Arthur Constantin Krebs replaced the tiller with an inclined steering wheel for the Panhard car he designed for the 1898 Paris–Amsterdam–Paris race which ran 7–13 July 1898. In 1898, Thomas B. Jeffery and his son, Charles T. Jeffery, developed two advanced experimental cars featuring

1961-445: The ratchet lock while the steering column remains stationary below the joint. Some designs place the pivot slightly forward along the column, allowing for a fair amount of vertical movement of the steering wheel with slight actual tilt. In contrast, other designs place the pivot almost inside the steering wheel, allowing adjustment of the angle of the steering wheel with nearly no change in its height. An adjustable steering column allows

2014-399: The roadway, resulting in extensive repairs at significant cost to the operator. This could be considered to add to the already high running costs. Ride quality is also said to be poor, not much of an improvement on a bus, due to the four-wheeled design, whereas trams have bogies . Guidewheel mechanical failures have occurred, causing the trolleybus to swerve off the roadway. This is due to

2067-556: The rubber tyres), snow packed into the flangeways or atop the rail by road traffic could lift the guide wheel off the rail, leading the vehicle to go off course. Critics of the system also point out that, unlike a conventional tramway, GLT is a proprietary system, meaning that once having installed it, a city would face difficulties in purchasing vehicles from any manufacturer other than Bombardier. A standard tramway, by contrast, can easily accommodate vehicles from multiple suppliers; Nancy's neighbour Strasbourg , for example, has chosen

2120-404: The safety of the extremities. The constant motions used must be performed with caution. "Proper posture of the hand-arm system while using hand tools is essential. As a rule, the wrist should not be bent, but must be kept straight to avoid overexertion of tissues like tendons and tendon sheaths and compression of nerves and blood vessels." Turning the steering wheel while the vehicle is stationary

2173-403: The same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title GLT . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=GLT&oldid=1141225471 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description

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2226-533: The same way as are steel-wheeled trains. Unlike trams and Translohr vehicles, GLT vehicles have a steering wheel , though it is not used when following a guidance rail. On the GLT line in Nancy, more than one-third of the 10 km (6.2 mi) route has no guide rail , and steering is controlled entirely by the driver on those sections. The Nancy GLT system is operated by the Société de Transports de l'Agglomération Nancienne , or STAN . With two articulation points and

2279-476: The start of the 18th century, many sea vessels appeared using the ship's wheel design. However, historians are unclear when that approach to steering was first used. The first automobiles were steered with a tiller , but in 1894, Alfred Vacheron took part in the Paris–Rouen race with a Panhard 4 hp model which he had fitted with a steering wheel. That is believed to be one of the earliest employments of

2332-418: The steering wheel height to be adjusted with only a small, useful change in tilt. Most of these systems work with compression locks or electric motors instead of ratchet mechanisms; the latter may be capable of moving to a memorized position when a given driver uses the car or automatically moving up and forward to ease egress. Many pre-war British cars offered telescoping steering wheels that required loosening

2385-424: The steering wheel to minimize the extent to which the driver must take their hands off the wheel. The steering wheels were rigid and mounted on non-collapsible steering columns . This arrangement increased the risk of impaling the driver in case of a severe crash. The first collapsible steering column was invented in 1934 but was never successfully marketed. By 1956, Ford came out with a safety steering wheel that

2438-559: The stop lamps when the Retard was continuously depressed with the cruise control on, but not engaged. In 1974, Lincoln added two rocker switches on the steering wheel to activate various cruise control functions on the Continental and Continental Mark IV. In 1988, Pontiac offered a steering wheel with 12 buttons controlling various audio functions on the Trans-Am, 6000 STE and Bonneville . In

2491-399: The technology. The vehicles have shown a tendency to move erratically when running free, and do not respond well should the driver mistakenly attempt to steer while following the guidance rail (for example, to avoid a pedestrian or animal running into the street). In addition, due to the tyres running over the same spot in the road, in both Nancy and Caen there has been significant rutting of

2544-420: The tilt wheel in 1964. This tilt wheel was also supplied to the other US automakers (except Ford). Originally a luxury option on cars, the tilt function helps to adjust the steering wheel by moving the wheel through an arc in an up and down motion. Tilt Steering Wheels rely upon a ratchet joint located in the steering column just below the steering wheel. The wheel can be adjusted upward or downward by disengaging

2597-466: The town's previous generation of trolleybuses and to permit operation, where desired by the transport authority, away from the guide rail. The Nancy vehicles followed a guidance rail on about 60% of the route, and thus the Nancy route uniquely is considered to have been both a rubber-tyred tramway and a trolleybus line. The system was first brought into use for passenger service in February 2001, but operation

2650-420: The wire. The Caen vehicles thus could not move laterally away from the overhead wire except when running in diesel mode (as conventional buses), and for this reason the Caen routes are not commonly considered to have been a trolleybus system. Nancy's fleet of 25 GLT vehicles used dual trolley poles to collect and return their electric power, in order to allow the use of existing wires constructed for use by

2703-536: Was filed regarding a telescoping steering wheel in July 1942 by Bernard Maurer of the Saginaw Steering Gear Division of General Motors (now Nexteer Automotive ). Nevertheless, GM would not offer a telescoping wheel of their own until the debut of the optional telescopic wheel on the 1965 Corvette and Corvair , and the optional tilt/telescope wheel on 1965 Cadillacs . The GM column was released by twisting

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2756-499: Was set high above the post with spokes that would flex, but the column was still rigid. In 1968, United States regulations ( FMVSS Standard No. 204) were implemented concerning the acceptable rearward movement of the steering wheel in case of a crash. Collapsible steering columns were required to meet that standard. Before this invention, the Citroën DS incorporated a curved and off-center single-spoke steering wheel designed to deflect

2809-501: Was suspended from March 2001 through March 2002 while Bombardier performed upgrades to the vehicles. In Caen, the GLT fleet began operation in November 2002, incorporating the changes made to Nancy's vehicles during the upgrade. They were operated by the Compagnie des Transports de l'Agglomération Caennaise under the name Twisto until 2017, when the system was shut down and replaced by

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