Car Stuff@CES 2015: Teen Inventors Launch SMARTwheel, the First Intelligent Steering Wheel Cover

Helps Prevent Distracted Driving

Shark Tank survivors to take the world stage with a proactive system that helps drivers stay focused on the road.

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 7, 2015 -- SMARTwheel™ survived the Shark Tank -- and now the Inventioneers®, teen inventors led by 19-year-old CEO TJ Evarts, are bringing their patented distracted driving solution to the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show.

Developed as proactive solution to help keep drivers focused on the road, SMARTwheel™ is the first intelligent steering wheel cover that helps prevent distracted driving.

Says Evarts, "When most people think of distracted driving, they think of cell phones. But the problem is bigger than that, especially for teen drivers. I wanted to develop a tool that would actually change how people drive. SMARTwheel™ provides a simple way to make sure drivers stay focused."

How It Works

SMARTwheel™ snaps onto any steering wheel, and uses a patented sensing technology to encourage safe hand position and help drivers stay focused on the road.

Unlike devices that simply record vehicle data, SMARTwheel™ provides real-time feedback to alert drivers to common distracted driving behaviors -- allowing them to make corrections before a potential accident. The device delivers teachable insights wirelessly to a smartphone app, letting parents and teens track improvement with a simple grading system.

The Technology

SMARTwheel™ combines advanced linear potentiometers with a proprietary algorithm to analyze driver hand position, contact area and motion. Our technology is poised to transform the future of safer driving, by enabling sophisticated gesture recognition. Says Evarts, "One day, drivers will be able to control their vehicles, mobile phones and other devices using simple hand movements, without ever taking their hands off their SMARTwheel™, or their eyes off the road."

Product History and Launch

SMARTwheel™ has been endorsed by President Barack Obama, who got a hands-on demonstration at the White House, and the Inventioneers® received an offer on ABC's reality TV show Shark Tank. After the show, they opted to move forward without the Sharks, and they are launching SMARTwheel™ at CES and through a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo. The crowdfunding campaign will allow contributors to support the SMARTwheel™ mission of safer roads, and be the first to receive SMARTwheel™ devices -- at a significant discount.

Says Evarts, "SMARTwheel™ could save thousands of lives each year, and I believe people everywhere will want to help bring it to market." SMARTwheel™ will be available in 2015.

The Indiegogo campaign page can be found at SMARTwheel.