Proxima — DavidRojas/Design

Brief

The wheel as an interface object

Proxima is a racing simulator steering wheel concept built around a single observation: conventional gaming wheels adapt automotive geometry without reconsidering how a driver actually interacts with controls in the heat of a race. The rim shape is inherited from road cars. The button layout is inherited from gamepads. Neither was designed for the specific context of a simulator session.

The project starts from the ergonomic and interface requirements of competitive sim racing and works back to the form. The result is a wheel where grip position, display integration, and button placement are resolved together rather than layered on top of a conventional shape.

Proxima targets the intersection of motorsport hardware logic and accessible product design — a wheel that reads and performs like a professional tool without requiring a professional rig or budget to justify it.

Key data

Type

Racing simulator steering wheel

Context

Conceptual design — personal project

Prototype

Foam-sculpted body, plaster-coated, gloss paint finish

Controls

6 tactile buttons · central touch display

Form factor

Open-ring, dual ergonomic grip

Proxima — front view on orange background

Concept

Three decisions, one object

Each major decision in Proxima responds to a specific problem found in existing simulator wheels. The form follows from the interface requirements, not the other way around.

01

Open ring

A conventional full rim passes through the driver's sight line in the straight-ahead position. Removing the upper arc opens the display view, reduces weight where no grip is needed, and clarifies where the hands should be.

02

Touch interface

A central display integrates menu navigation and session configuration without requiring the driver to remove their hands from the wheel. Settings, lap data, and fuel maps are accessible with a single touch during non-critical moments.

03

Thumb-reach controls

Six color-coded tactile buttons are placed within thumb reach at both grip ends. Gear shifts, DRS, brake bias, and engine map are reachable without repositioning the hand. Response is immediate and the control is absolute.

Prototype

Physical validation

The prototype was built to validate grip geometry, button reach, and display angle at 1:1 scale. The body was hand-shaped in foam, coated in plaster to true up the surface, and finished in gloss black paint — a sculpting approach that communicates the intended material language of the final product without committing to a production process this early.

The six button positions were tested against standard grip posture to confirm that each is reachable without changing hand placement. Color coding — green, red, blue, yellow — was introduced at the prototype stage as a placeholder for the tactile differentiation that production variants would achieve through button shape and profile alone.

Proxima — lower grip and handle detail, colored buttons

In use

Hand position & reach

The ergonomic grip is shaped to receive the palm and resist rotation during high-load steering inputs. Both hands reach their respective button clusters without repositioning. The open centre keeps the display visible in all grip configurations.

Proxima held with both hands — front position