Asim racing wheel is a control device for use inracing games,racing simulators, anddriving simulators. They are usually packaged with a largepaddle styled as asteering wheel, along with a set ofpedals for the accelerator, brake, andclutch, as well astransmission controls. Ananalog wheel and pedal set such as this allows the user to accurately manipulate steering angle and pedal control that is required to properly manage a simulated car, as opposed to digital control such as a keyboard. The relatively large range of motion further allows the user to more accurately apply the controls. Racing wheels have been developed for use witharcade games,game consoles,personal computers, and also for professional driving simulators for race drivers.

One of the earliest racing wheels for the PCmass market was theThrustmaster Formula T1, released in 1994.^[1][2] It had no force feedback, only some form of spring-based centering resistance proportional to the steering angle.^[3] Two of the earliest FFB wheels for the consumer PC market were the Microsoft Sidewinder Force Feedback Wheel,^[4] released in 1997, and the Logitech Wingman Formula Force.

Force feedback sim wheels have motors to simulatesteering kickback. Racing wheels started off as simple plastic wheels hooked up to a rotary potentiometer, which were sprung by springs or bungees. These spring-based wheels had a reactive torque that increased proportionally only to the steering angle, without regard for the simulated vehicle dynamics.^[5]

Eventually manufacturers began to use electric motors in the controllers, in place of springs, in order to achieve a level offorce feedback (sometimes abbreviatedFFB), first seen in Microsoft's Sidewinder wheel. At first this technology simply provided the centering force and other artificial effects such as shaking the wheel in a crash or other vibrations. However, as driving simulations have evolved, their physics engines have become more elaborate,^[citation needed] allowing also for linking the force feedback close to the simulatedvehicle dynamics of the in-game physics.^[5] This allows the user to truly feel what forces go through the steering rack, instead of just artificial effects, and genuinely enhance the realism of the game.^{[citation needed]} A fundamental factor for an adequate subjective steering-feel and perception of drivability from a force feedback wheel, is the transfer function from steering torque to steering angle.^[6][7]

In 2015, a preliminary comparison of gear-driven anddirect-drive wheels in the 0–30 Hz frequency range, for a study on hard real-timemultibody simulation and high-fidelity steering wheel force feedback, concluded that direct-drive wheels are preferable.^[8]

Sim racing wheels, like real-world racing steering wheels, can have many buttons. Some examples arecruise control or pit-lane limiter for thepit lane, button forflashing lights,windscreen wipers, radio communication with the team, adjustments to theracing setup (such asbrake balance,brake migration,differential braking (entry, mid+, exit, hi-speed; to make use of torque effectively at different points in a corner^[9]),traction control (amplitude and sensitivity),anti-roll bar adjustment (front and rear), engine program (strat mode/ engine mode to get extra power or conserve fuel and engine life),engine braking (the engine's throttle or absence of throttle when there is no input from the gas pedal, i.e. whether the engine contributes to the car slowing down or is keeping its speed), etc.), seeing sideways or in the mirror, or to browse various menus (for example using a 7-way «funky switch»).

Subsections by motor type: no FFB, gear- or belt-driven, and direct-drive wheels.

Other features by which pedals can be compared are whether they can be inverted (hanging pedals), build material (plastic, aluminum), adjustability (position, pressure, travel), measured pressure, travel length, sensor resolution.^[55]

• HOTAS (hands on throttle-and-stick)
• Linkage (mechanical)
• Sim racing
• Sim racing pedals
• Sawtooth wave

• Game controllers
• Racing simulators
• Driving simulators

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