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Peugeot showed the E-T16 concept at the 2026 Paris Motor Show with a square, button-filled steering control called the Hypersquare. Its shape is made practical by steer-by-wire, which sends driver inputs to electronic systems rather than through a conventional mechanical steering column. Peugeot has not established that the concept or its steering setup will reach production.
Peugeot has presented the E-T16 concept at the 2026 Paris Motor Show with a square, button-filled steering control called the Hypersquare, a design made possible by steer-by-wire rather than a conventional mechanical link to the front wheels. The concept highlights how electronically controlled steering can allow a different control shape and steering response, but Peugeot has not confirmed that the E-T16 will enter production.
The Hypersquare combines a compact, squared-off grip with several control points and a configurable central display. Peugeot says the display can show information such as speed and lap timing, while functions can be reached with finger movements. The automaker describes the setup as a performance-focused application of its steer-by-wire technology.
In a conventional car, the steering wheel connects mechanically to the front wheels through a steering column and rack. With steer-by-wire, driver inputs are relayed electronically and motors turn the wheels. That arrangement can vary the steering ratio: a small hand movement could produce a large wheel angle at low speeds, while producing a smaller response at highway speeds.
Peugeot also describes the E-T16 as a tri-motor electric hatchback. Its release claims the concept can complete three laps of the Nürburgring Nordschleife—more than 60 kilometers—in Performance mode without power limitation. Those are manufacturer claims about a concept, not independently verified production-car performance figures.
Why the Square Control Needs Electronics
The unusual shape is more than a styling choice: it depends on a steering system that does not require the driver to rotate a wheel through several turns. With a conventional fixed mechanical connection, large steering inputs mean moving hands around a circular rim. Peugeot’s approach is designed to let software adjust how much wheel movement follows each hand movement, leaving the control itself compact and non-circular.
That could also change where vehicle controls sit. Peugeot says the Hypersquare puts functions close to the driver’s fingers and can present driving information in its center. Whether that arrangement is easier or safer to use in real driving is not established by the concept presentation. The design’s practical value will depend on its feel, usability and reliability, not just its appearance.
Steer-by-wire also changes what drivers feel. Without a direct mechanical path, steering feedback has to be generated electronically. The source report identifies whether that feedback can feel as natural as a conventional steering rack as an open question. For drivers, that is a central issue: steering is both a control input and a source of information about the road and the car.
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From Yoke Designs to Steer-by-Wire
The E-T16’s styling refers to Peugeot’s 205 T16, a rally car associated with the brand’s World Rally Championship wins in 1985 and 1986. The concept’s Hypersquare, however, is presented as a technology-led steering design rather than simply a conventional wheel reshaped for appearance.
The source report notes that steer-by-wire is already offered in vehicles including the Tesla Cybertruck and Lexus RZ. It contrasts the Hypersquare with Tesla’s yoke, which retained conventional steering hardware: cutting away the top of a wheel does not remove the need to turn it substantially if the underlying steering remains conventional. Peugeot has also shown the Hypersquare on other concepts, including the Polygon, according to the report.
The 2026 Paris Motor Show also features other French concept cars, including a Citroën 2 CV-inspired electric concept and a Renault E-Space concept. Those vehicles provide show context, but the E-T16’s defining news is Peugeot’s demonstration of a square control linked to steer-by-wire.
““Inspired by the steering wheel of the PEUGEOT 9X8 competing in the FIA World Endurance Championship, the Hypersquare® steering control of E-T16 CONCEPT demonstrates the adaptability of this new steer by wire technology.””
— Peugeot, in its description of the E-T16
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Production and Road Feel Remain Open
Peugeot has not confirmed in the supplied material whether the E-T16 will be built or whether the Hypersquare will appear in a production vehicle. The concept’s performance statements and claims about precision, agility and ergonomics are attributed to Peugeot; independent test results are not provided.
It is also unclear how the steering would feel in everyday conditions, how its feedback would be tuned, and what safeguards or backup systems would be used if electronic steering components failed. The source report says a demonstration unit was expected at the show, but it does not provide findings from a hands-on evaluation. Until those details are available, the Hypersquare should be understood as a concept-stage demonstration rather than a confirmed consumer feature.
digital steering wheel with display
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Show Demonstrations Before Production
The immediate next opportunity to assess the design is the Paris Motor Show demonstration described in the report. A hands-on display could give visitors a sense of the grip and controls, though it would not by itself establish how the system performs in a moving car or under varied road conditions.
Further confirmation would be needed from Peugeot on production plans, technical specifications and the steering system’s safety architecture. Until the company provides that information, the E-T16’s square control remains a concept feature, and its real-world usability and availability remain unsettled.
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Key Questions
What is Peugeot’s Hypersquare?
It is a square steering control shown in the E-T16 concept, with buttons and a configurable central display. Peugeot says it is designed to work with steer-by-wire.
Why does the Hypersquare need steer-by-wire?
Steer-by-wire sends steering inputs electronically instead of through a fixed mechanical connection. That lets the system vary the steering ratio, so the control does not need to rotate through the same large range as a conventional wheel.
Will the Peugeot E-T16 go on sale?
The source material does not confirm production plans. The E-T16 is presented as a concept car, and Peugeot has not stated here that it will be sold to customers.
Has the Hypersquare’s performance been independently tested?
No independent test results are included in the source material. Claims about the E-T16’s Nürburgring performance and the steering system’s precision come from Peugeot.
What is still unknown about the steering system?
Its road feel, everyday usability, safety provisions and production status remain unclear. The source report mentions a show demonstration but gives no results from an evaluation.
Source: rss
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