Steering system design enters a new age

Steering systems have always been a critical balance between safety, vehicle dynamics and cost. Furthermore, today they play an important role in both fuel efficiency, through helping reduce the energy used within the vehicle, and in establishing the character of the vehicle from a driving point of view.

The function of a steering system is to accurately guide the vehicle under all driving conditions. When the vehicle is steered, the driver’s intentions are communicated using an intuitive rotational motion of the steering wheel. This motion is translated by the steering system into a wheel cut angle at the steered wheels. The steering system must be robust, sensitive and precise enough to inform the driver as comprehensively as possible about the various vehicle condition parameters and any changes in these parameters.