Justifying the structure of the improved mechanism for manual control of motor vehicles’ pedals

Due to the challenging military situation in Ukraine, the demand for tailored and flexible pedal control systems for individuals with physical disabilities is especially important. Standard pedal configurations often fail to meet the specific needs of drivers with limited mobility, making vehicle operation both difficult and potentially unsafe. The development of specialized manual control devices, such as hand-operated pedals or adjustable foot controls, is crucial for ensuring that these drivers can manage their vehicles with accuracy and safety. Such innovations not only improve accessibility but also foster greater autonomy and inclusion, empowering disabled drivers to navigate the roads with confidence and ease. This article aims to review existing prototypes of manual control mechanisms for vehicle pedals and to develop an improved device that enables simultaneous control of three pedals – accelerator, brake, and clutch – with one hand. As a result of a patent review of several existing prototypes of control mechanisms, it was concluded that the vast majority of them provide control for only two pedals – the accelerator and brake. This means they can only be used in motor vehicles with automatic transmissions or electric cars. Only a few mechanisms were designed to control three pedals, but they required using both the driver’s hands, directly affecting driving safety. Therefore, improving existing designs of the mechanisms for controlling three pedals by transferring all control functions to one hand of a driver remains relevant. The research methodology involves the use of classical methods from the theory of mechanisms and machines to conduct the structural synthesis of an improved multi-link hinge-lever mechanism and its kinematic analysis, aimed at determining the main parameters of pedals’ movements in a vehicle under various control inputs from the driver’s hand. The results obtained can be utilized by researchers and engineers to enhance manual control mechanisms for vehicle pedals and in the practical implementation processes. The prospects for future research on this topic are in developing an experimental prototype of the control mechanism and its testing and adjustment for different vehicle modifications to improve running smoothness and driving comfort and safety.