Mazda's Forgotten 1980s Concept: A Rectangular Steering Wheel With a CRT Screen and a Belt

Long before Tesla's yoke or Lexus's steer-by-wire, Mazda and Italian design house Bertone collaborated on one of the most radical steering wheel concepts ever shown: a rectangular unit with a built-in CRT screen and a belt-driven mechanism. The idea surfaced in the 1980s, an era when automakers were experimenting with digital dashboards and unconventional controls, but this design took things to another level. The rectangular shape challenged the fundamental ergonomics of driving, while the CRT screen hinted at a future where the wheel could display information directly in the driver's line of sight. The belt, likely part of a drive-by-wire or adjustable steering ratio system, suggested a rethinking of how steering inputs could be transmitted. While it never reached production, the concept underscores how automakers have long grappled with integrating technology into the driver's primary interface. Today's steer-by-wire systems and screen-heavy cabins echo that same ambition, but Mazda's prototype remains a fascinating 'what if'—a reminder that even failed experiments can foreshadow the future. As cars become more autonomous, the steering wheel may yet evolve into something just as unconventional.