[samwichse]

Originally Posted by nimblemotors

In the new version of the Indy One, there will be no steering column that has a physical attachment to the steering rack. Current idea is the steering wheel will be attached to a sliding mechanism on the left side of the car. This allows it to be moved forward and backward. With this ability, I looks to me that it might replace an airbag, as the wheel would have an ability to 'give' with pressure similar to how an airbag works to slow deceleration on impact.

This is a much simpler and thus cheaper and easier solution than an airbag,
which is anchored by the fixed steering column.
Anyone know of a similiar kind of design in any cars?

I'll copy/paste what I put over at diyelectriccar:

Drive by wire steering in the future model? No thank you. Literally (I think) no one is doing this. Infiniti has a model or that sort of does it, but it maintains the entire mechanical system as a fallback... which saves you no space. They spent bank (and 10 years) developing it, it came out on the '14MY, and it looks like it will be discontinued on the '16.