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Steering
Steering is the term applied to the collection of components, linkages, etc. which will allow a vessel (ship, boat) or vehicle (car, motorcycle, bicycle) to follow the desired course. An exception is the case of rail transport by which rail tracks combined together with railroad switches (and also known as 'points' in ritish !nglish) provide the steering function.

"art of car steering mechanism# tie rod, steering arm, king pin axis (using ball $oints).

Contents

1 &ntroduction % 'heeled vehicle steering

o o o o o

%.1

asic geometry

%.% (ack and pinion, recirculating ball, worm and sector %.) "ower steering %.* +peed Ad$ustable +teering %., -our.wheel steering

%.,.1 (ecent application %.,.% "roduction cars with active four wheel steering

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%./ Articulated steering %.0 (ear wheel steering %.1 +teer.by.wire %.2 +afety %.13 4ycles

) +hip and boat steering * +ee also , (eferences / !xternal links

Introduction
5he most conventional steering arrangement is to turn the front wheels using a hand6operated steering wheel which is positioned in front of the driver, via the steering column, which may contain universal $oints (which may also be part of the collapsible steering column design), to allow it to deviate somewhat from a straight line. 7ther arrangements are sometimes found on different types of vehicles, for example, a tiller or rear6wheel steering. 5racked vehicles such as tanks usually employ differential steering 8 that is, the tracks are made to move at different speeds or even in opposite directions to bring about a change of course.

Wheeled vehicle steering

Basic geometry

5he basic aim of steering is to ensure that the wheels are pointing in the desired directions. 5his is typically achieved by a series of linkages, rods, pivots and gears. 7ne of the fundamental concepts is that of caster angle. each wheel is steered with a pivot point ahead of the wheel9 this makes the steering tend to be self. centering towards the direction travel. Ackermann steering geometry 5he steering linkages connecting the steering box and the wheels usually conforms to a variation of Ackermann steering geometry, to account for the fact that in a turn, the inner wheel is actually travelling a path of smaller radius than the outer wheel, so that

the degree of toe suitable for driving in a straight path is not suitable for turns.

Rack and pinion, recirculating ball, worm and sector

(ack and pinion animation

(ack and pinion unit mounted in the cockpit of an Ariel Atom sports car chassis. -or most high volume production, this is usually mounted on the other side of this panel :any modern cars use rack and pinion steering mechanisms, where the steering wheel turns the pinion gear9 the pinion moves the rack, which is a linear gear that meshes with the pinion, converting circular motion into linear motion along the transverse axis of the car (side to side motion). 5his motion applies steering tor;ue to the swivel pin ball $oints that replaced previously used kingpins of the stub axle of the steered wheels via tie rods and a short lever arm called the steering arm.

5he rack and pinion design has the advantages of a large degree of feedback and direct steering <feel<. A disadvantage is that it is not ad$ustable, so that when it does wear and develop lash, the only cure is replacement. 7lder designs often use the recirculating ball mechanism, which is still found on trucks and utility vehicles. 5his is a variation on the older worm and sector design9 the steering column turns a large screw (the <worm gear<) which meshes with a sector of a gear, causing it to rotate about its axis as the worm gear is turned9 an arm attached to the axis of the sector moves the "itman arm, which is connected to the steering linkage and thus steers the wheels. 5he recirculating ball version of this apparatus reduces the considerable friction by placing large ball bearings between the teeth of the worm and those of the screw9 at either end of the apparatus the balls exit from between the two pieces into a channel internal to the box which connects them with the other end of the apparatus, thus they are <recirculated<. 5he recirculating ball mechanism has the advantage of a much greater mechanical advantage, so that it was found on larger, heavier vehicles while the rack and pinion was originally limited to smaller and lighter ones9 due to the almost universal adoption of power steering, however, this is no longer an important advantage, leading to the increasing use of rack and pinion on newer cars. 5he recirculating ball design also has a perceptible lash, or <dead spot< on center, where a minute turn of the steering wheel in either direction does not move the steering apparatus9 this is easily ad$ustable via a screw on the end of the steering box to account for wear, but it cannot be entirely eliminated because it will create excessive internal forces at other positions and the mechanism will wear very rapidly. 5his design is still in use in trucks and other large vehicles, where rapidity of steering and direct feel are less important than robustness, maintainability, and mechanical advantage. 5he much smaller degree of feedback with this design can also sometimes be an advantage9 drivers of vehicles with rack and pinion steering can have their thumbs broken when a front wheel hits a bump, causing the steering wheel to kick to one side suddenly (leading

to driving instructors telling students to keep their thumbs on the front of the steering wheel, rather than wrapping around the inside of the rim. 5his effect is even stronger with a heavy vehicle like a truck9 recirculating ball steering prevents this degree of feedback, $ust as it prevents desirable feedback under normal circumstances. 5he worm and sector was an older design, used for example in 'illys and 4hrysler vehicles, and the -ord -alcon (12/3s). 7ther systems for steering exist, but are uncommon on road vehicles. 4hildren's toys and go karts often use a very direct linkage in the form of a bell crank (also commonly known as a "itman arm) attached directly between the steering column and the steering arms, and the use of cable.operated steering linkages (e.g. the 4apstan and owstring mechanism) is also found on some home.built vehicles such as soapbox cars and recumbent tricycles.
Power steering

"ower steering assists the driver of an automobile in steering by directing a portion of the vehicle's power to traverse the axis of one or more of the road wheels. As vehicles have become heavier and switched to front wheel drive, particularly using negative offset geometry, along with increases in tire width and diameter, the effort needed to turn the steering wheel manually has increased 8 often to the point where ma$or physical exertion is re;uired. 5o alleviate this, auto makers have developed power steering systems# or more correctly power.assisted steering 8 on road going vehicles there has to be a mechanical linkage as a failsafe. 5here are two types of power steering systems8 hydraulic and electric=electronic. A hydraulic.electric hybrid system is also possible. A hydraulic power steering (>"+) uses hydraulic pressure supplied by an engine.driven pump to assist the motion of turning the steering wheel. !lectric power steering (!"+) is more efficient than the hydraulic power steering, since the electric power steering motor only needs to provide assistance when the

steering wheel is turned, whereas the hydraulic pump must run constantly. &n !"+, the assist level is easily tunable to the vehicle type, road speed, and even driver preference. An added benefit is the elimination of environmental ha?ard posed by leakage and disposal of hydraulic power steering fluid. Also in the event of the engine cutting out, assist will not be lost . whereas hydraulic will stop working, as well as making the steering doubly heavy as the driver has to turn the power.assist mechanism on top of the steering system itself.

Speed Adjustable Steering

An outgrowth of power steering is speed ad$ustable steering, where the steering is heavily assisted at low speed and lightly assisted at high speed. 5he auto makers perceive that motorists might need to make large steering inputs while manoeuvering for parking, but not while traveling at high speed. 5he first vehicle with this feature was the 4itro@n +: with its Airavi layout, although rather than altering the amount of assistance as in modern power steering systems, it altered the pressure on a centering cam which made the steering wheel try to <spring< back to the straight.ahead position. :odern speed.ad$ustable power steering systems reduce the pressure fed to the ram as the speed increases, giving a more direct feel. 5his feature is gradually becoming commonplace across all new vehicles.
our!wheel steering

-our.wheel steering (or all.wheel steering) is a system employed by some vehicles to improve steering response, increase vehicle stability while maneuvering at high speed, or to decrease turning radius at low speed.

+ierra Aenali with Buadra steer, rear steering angle &n most active four.wheel steering systems, the rear wheels are steered by a computer and actuators. 5he rear wheels generally cannot turn as far as the front wheels. +ome systems, including Aelphi's Buadra steer and the system in >onda's "relude line, allow the rear wheels to be steered in the opposite direction as the front wheels during low speeds. 5his allows the vehicle to turn in a significantly smaller radius 8 sometimes critical for large trucks or tractors and vehicles with trailers. :any modern vehicles offer a form of passive rear steering to counteract normal vehicle tendencies. -or example, +ubaru used a passive steering system to correct for the rear wheel's tendency to toe.out. 7n many vehicles, when cornering, the rear wheels tend to steer slightly to the outside of a turn, which can reduce stability. 5he passive steering system uses the lateral forces generated in a turn (through suspension geometry) and the bushings to correct this tendency and steer the wheels slightly to the inside of the corner. 5his improves the stability of the car, through the turn. 5his effect is called compliance under steer and it, or its opposite, is present on all suspensions. 5ypical methods of achieving compliance under steer are to use a 'att's Cink on a live rear axle, or the use of toe control bushings on a twist beam suspension. 7n an independent rear suspension it is normally achieved by changing the rates of the rubber bushings in the suspension. +ome suspensions will always have compliance over steer due to geometry, such as >otchkiss live axles or a semi. trailing arm &(+.

Recent application

&n an active four.wheel steering system, all four wheels turn at the same time when the driver steers. 5here can be controls to switch off the rear steer and options to steer only the rear wheel independent of the front wheels. At slow speeds ( e.g. parking) the rear wheels turn opposite of the front wheels, reducing the turning radius by up to twenty.five percent, while at higher speeds both front and rear wheels turn alike (electronically controlled), so that the vehicle may change position with less yaw, enhancing straight.line stability. 5he <+naking effect< experienced during motorway drives while towing a travel trailer is thus largely nullified. -our.wheel steering found its most widespread use in monster trucks, where maneuverability in small arenas is critical, and it is also popular in large farm vehicles and trucks. +ome of the modern !uropean &ntercity buses also utili?e four.wheel steering to assist maneuverability in bus terminals, and also to improve road stability. Deneral :otors offers Aelphi's Buadra steer in their consumer +ilverado=+ierra and +uburban=Eukon. >owever, only 1/,,33 vehicles have been sold with this system since its introduction in %33% through %33*. Aue to this low demand, D: discontinued the technology at the end of the %33, model year. "reviously, >onda had four.wheel steering as an option in their 1210.%333 "relude, and :a?da also offered four.wheel steering on the /%/ and :F/ in 1211. A new <Active Arive< system is introduced on the %331 version of the (enault Caguna line. &t was designed as one of several measures to increase security and stability. 5he Active Arive should lower the effects of under steer and decrease the chances of spinning by diverting part of the D.forces generated in a turn from the front to the rear tires. At low speeds the turning circle can be tightened so parking and maneuvering is easier.
Production cars with active "our wheel steering

:' 1,34+i (optional)

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:' 0.+eries (%332 onwards, part of sport package) 4hevrolet +ilverado (%33%6%33,) (high and low speed) !fini :+.2 (high and low speed) D:4 +ierra (%33%.%33,) (high and low speed) D:4 +ierra Aenali (%33%.%33*) (high and low speed) >onda "relude (high and low speed, mechanical from 1210 to 1221, computeri?ed from 122%.%331) >onda Accord (1221) (high and low speed, mechanical) >onda ascot innova (122%) (high and low speed, full turn) &nfiniti -F,3 A'A (option on +ports package) (%3316"resent) (high and low speed, fully electronic) &nfiniti D), +edan (option on +port models) (%3306"resent) (high speed onlyG) &nfiniti D), 4oupe (option on +port models) (%33/6"resent) (high speed only) &nfiniti D)0 &nfiniti H)3t (touring package) (122)6122*) &nfiniti :), (option on +port models) (%33/6"resent) (high speed onlyG) &nfiniti :*, (option on +port models) (%33/6"resent) (high speed onlyG) &nfiniti B*,t (12126122*) (high speed onlyG) :a?da 2%2 (122%6122,)(computeri?ed, high and low speed) (all models) :a?da /%/ (1211) (high and low speed) :a?da :F./ (121261220) (high and low speed) :a?da (F.0 (optional, computeri?ed, high and low speed)

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:a?da !unos 133 (122/6%33)) (7ptional, computeri?ed, high and low speed) :itsubishi Dalant=+igma (high speed only) :itsubishi D57 (also sold as the :itsubishi )333D5 and the Aodge +tealth) (:echanical) (high speed only) Iissan 4efiro (A)1) (high speed only) Iissan %*3+F=+ilvia (option on +! models) (high speed only) Iissan )33JF (all 5win.5urbo J)% models) (high speed only) Iissan Caurel (later versions) (high speed only) Iissan -uga=&nfiniti : (high speed only) Iissan +ilvia (option on all +1) models) (high speed only) Iissan +kyline D5+, D5+.(, D5+.F (121/) (high speed only) Iissan +kyline D5.( (high and low speed) (enault Caguna (only in D5 version of )rd generation which was launched 7ctober %330, D5 launched on April %331) +ubaru Alcyone +KF HA: (12216122/) (Hapanese version# <C. 4AF< only) (high speed only) 5oyota Aristo (1220) (high and low speedG) 5oyota 4amry = Kista HA: 1211.1222 (7ptional)
L,M

5oyota 4elica (option on ,th and /th generation, 1223.122) +511) and 122*.1220 +5%3)) (Aual.mode, high and low speed) 5oyota +oarer (NJJ)%)

Articulated steering

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A front loader with articulated steering. Articulated steering is a system by which a four.wheel drive vehicle is split into front and rear halves which are connected by a vertical hinge. 5he front and rear halves are connected with one or more hydraulic cylinders that change the angle between the halves, including the front and rear axles and wheels, thus steering the vehicle. 5his system does not use steering arms, king pins, tie rods, etc. as does four.wheel steering. &f the vertical hinge is placed e;uidistant between the two axles, it also eliminates the need for a central differential, as both front and rear axles will follow the same path, and thus rotate at the same speed.
Rear wheel steering

A few types of vehicle use rear wheel steering, notably fork lift trucks, uckminster -uller's Aymaxion car, and the 5hrust++4. (ear wheel steering can tend to be unstable because in turns the steering geometry tends to decrease the turn radius (over steer), rather than increase it (under steer). A rear wheel steered automobile exhibits non.minimum phase behavior. &t turns in the direction opposite of how it is initially steered. A rapid steering input will cause two accelerations, first in the direction that the wheel is steered, and then in the opposite direction# a <reverse response.< 5his makes it harder to steer a rear wheel steered vehicle at high speed than a front wheel steered vehicle.

Steer!by!wire

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5he aim of steer-by-wire technology is to completely do away with as many mechanical components (steering shaft, column, gear reduction mechanism, etc.) as possible. 4ompletely replacing conventional steering system with steer.by.wire holds several advantages, such as#

5he absence of steering column simplifies the car interior design. 5he absence of steering shaft, column and gear reduction mechanism allows much better space utili?ation in the engine compartment. 5he steering mechanism can be designed and installed as a modular unit. 'ithout mechanical connection between the steering wheel and the road wheel, it is less likely that the impact of a frontal crash will force the steering wheel to intrude into the driver's survival space. +teering system characteristics can easily and infinitely be ad$usted to optimi?e the steering response and feel.

As of %330 there are no production cars available that rely solely on steer.by.wire technology due to safety, reliability and economic concerns, but this technology has been demonstrated in numerous concept cars and the similar fly-by-wire technology is in use in both military and civilian aviation applications. (emoving the mechanical steering linkage in road going vehicles would re;uire new legislation in most countries.

Sa"ety

-or safety reasons all modern cars feature a collapsible steering column (energy absorbing steering column) which will collapse in the event of a heavy frontal impact to avoid excessive in$uries to the driver. Airbags are also generally fitted as standard. Ion.

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collapsible steering columns fitted to older vehicles very often impaled drivers in frontal crashes, particularly when the steering box or rack was mounted in front of the front axle line, at the front of the crumple ?one. 5his was particularly a problem on vehicles that had a rigid separate chassis frame, with no crumple ?one. :ost modern vehicle steering boxes=racks are mounted behind the front axle on the front bulkhead, at the rear of the front crumple ?one. Audi used a retractable steering wheel and seat belt tensioning system called procon.ten, but it has since been discontinued in favor of airbags and pyrotechnic seat belt pre.tensioners. 4ollapsible steering columns were invented by ela arenyi and was introduced in the 12,2 :ercedes. en? '111 -intail, along with 4rumple ?ones. 5his safety feature first appeared on cars built by Deneral :otors after an extensive and very public lobbying campaign enacted by (alph Iader. -ord started to install collapsible steering columns in 12/1
#ycles

+teering is crucial to the stability of bicycles and motorcycles. -or details, see articles on bicycle and motorcycle dynamics and countersteering.

Steering wheel

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A steering wheel (also called a driving wheel or hand wheel is a type of steering control in vehicles and vessels (ships and boats). +teering wheels are used in most modern land vehicles, including all mass.production automobiles as well as light and heavy trucks. 5he steering wheel is the part of the steering system that is manipulated by the driver9 the rest of the steering system responds to such driver inputs. 5his can be through direct mechanical contact as in recirculating ball or rack and pinion steering gears, without or with the assistance of hydraulic power steering, >"+, or as in some modern production cars with the assistance of computer controlled motors, known as !lectric "ower +teering. 'ith the introduction of federal vehicle regulation in the Nnited +tates in 12/1, -:K++ 11* re;uired the impairment of steering wheel rotation, to hinder motor vehicle theft9 in most vehicles this is accomplished when the ignition key is removed from the ignition lock. +ee steering lock. (emote car audio controls are often included on the steering wheels of newer vehicles.

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#ontents

1 >istory % "assenger cars ) 7ther designs

o

).1

an$o steering wheel

* Ad$ustable steering wheels , Nsage / uttons and controls on the steering wheel 0 Daming imitations 1 +ee also 2 Iotes 13 (eferences

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$istory
5he first automobiles were steered with a tiller, but in 112* Alfred Kacheron took part in the "aris.(ouen race with a "anhard * hp model which he had fitted with a steering wheel. 5hat is believed to be one of the earliest employments of the principle. -rom 1121 the "anhard et Cevassor cars were e;uipped as standard with steering wheels. 4 + (olls introduced the first car in ritain fitted with a steering wheel when he imported a / hp "anhard from -rance in 1121 . Arthur 4onstantin Orebs replaced the tiller with an inclined steering wheel for the "anhard car he designed for the "aris.Amsterdam race which ran from the 0th to 1) Huly 1121L*M. &n 1122 "ackard used a steering wheel on the second car they built. 'ithin a decade, the steering wheel had entirely replaced the tiller in automobiles.

Passenger cars

Ion safety steering wheel in a 4hrysler Airflow from the 12)3s. 5he steering wheel is rigid and the steering column is non collapsible, thus increasing the risk of impaling the driver in case of crash +teering wheels for passenger automobiles are generally circular, and are mounted to the steering column by a hub connected to the outer ring of the steering wheel by one or more spokes (single spoke wheels being a rather rare exception). 7ther types of vehicles may use the circular design, a butterfly shape, or some

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other shape. &n countries where cars must drive on the left side of the road, the steering wheel is typically on the right side of the car (right.hand drive or (>A)9 the converse applies in countries where cars drive on the right side of the road (left.hand drive or C>A). esides its use in steering, the steering wheel is the usual location for a button to activate the car's horn. Additionally, many modern automobiles may have other controls, such as cruise control and audio system controls built into the steering wheel to minimi?e the extent to which the driver must take their hands off the wheel. &n 12/1 in the Nnited +tates regulations (-:K++ +tandard Io. %3*) were edited concerning the acceptable rearward movement of the steering wheel in case of crash. 4ollapsible steering columns were re;uired to meet that +tandard. "ower steering gives the driver an easier means by which the steering of a car can be accomplished. :odern power steering has almost universally relied on a hydraulic system, although electrical systems are steadily replacing this technology. :echanical power steering systems (ex. +tudebaker, 12,%) have been invented, but their weight and complexity negate the benefits that they provide. 'hile other methods of steering passenger cars have resulted from experiments, none have been deployed as successfully as the steering wheel.

%ther designs

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A modern -ormula 7ne car's steering wheel has buttons and knobs to control various functions as well as gauges and other important items normally found on a Aashboard. 5he steering wheel is centrally located on certain high. performance sports cars, such as the :cCaren -1, and in the ma$ority of single.seat racing cars. As a driver may have his hands on the steering wheel for hours at a time these are designed with ergonomics in mind. >owever, the most important concern is that the driver can effectively convey tor;ue to the steering system9 this is especially important in vehicles without power steering or in the rare event of a loss of steering assist. A typical design for circular steering wheels is a steel or magnesium rim with a plastic or rubberi?ed grip molded over and around it. +ome drivers purchase vinyl or textile steering wheel covers to enhance grip or comfort, or simply as decoration. Another device used to make steering easier is the brodie knob. A similar device in aircraft is the yoke. 'ater vessels not steered from a stern.mounted tiller are directed with the ship's wheel, which may have inspired the concept of the steering wheel.
Banjo steering wheel

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an$o steering wheel A an$o +teering 'heel was an option on many early automobiles. an$o 'heels predate power steering. 5he wire spokes were a buffer or absorber between the driver's hands and the drum of the road. :ost were ) or * spokes made of four or five wires in each spoke, hence the name < an$o<

Adjustable steering wheels

&ilt Wheel

Aeveloped by !dward Hames Cobdell, the seven positions 5ilt 'heel was made available in several Deneral :otors products in 12/). 7riginally a luxury option on cars, the tilt function helps to ad$ust the steering wheel by moving the wheel through an arc in an up and down motion. 5ilt +teering 'heels rely upon a ratchet $oint located in the steering column $ust below the steering wheel. y disengaging the ratchet lock, the wheel can be ad$usted upward or downward while the steering column remains stationary below the $oint. +ome designs place the pivot slightly forward along the column, allowing for a fair amount of vertical movement of the steering wheel with little actual tilt, while other designs place the pivot almost inside the steering wheel, allowing ad$ustment of the angle of the steering wheel with almost no change it its height.
&elescope Wheel

Aeveloped by Deneral :otors +aginaw +teering Dear Aivision, the telescoping wheel can be ad$usted to an infinite number of

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positions in a ).inch range. 5he 5ilt and 5elescope steering wheel was introduced as an exclusive option on 4adillac automobiles in 12/,.
Adjustable Steering #olumn

&n contrast, an ad$ustable steering column allows steering wheel height to be ad$usted with only a small, useful change in tilt. :ost of these systems work with compression locks or electric motors instead of ratchet mechanisms9 the latter may be capable of moving to a memori?ed position when a given driver uses the car, or of moving up and forward for entry or exit.
Swing!away Steering Wheel

&ntroduced on the 12/1 -ord 5hunderbird, and made available on other -ord products throughout the 12/3s, the +wing.away steering wheel allowed the steering wheel to move nine inches to the right when the transmission selector was in "ark, so as to make driver exit and entry easier.

'sage
5he steering wheel should be used with strategic movements of the hand and wrist in spinning motions. 4aution and care should be used to ensure safety of the extremities. 5he constant motions used must be performed with caution. (emember to follow the <>andy rule< 'hich states <"roper posture of the hand.arm system while using hand tools is very important. As a rule the wrist should not be bent, but must be kept straight to avoid overexertion of such tissues as tendons and tendon sheaths and compression of nerves and blood vessels.< 1 5he act of turning the steering wheel while the vehicle is stationary is called dry steering. &t is generally advised to avoid dry steering as it puts strain on the steering mechanism and causes undue wear of the tires.

Buttons and controls on the steering wheel

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5he first button added to the steering wheel was a switch to activate the car's electric horn. 5raditionally located on the steering wheel hub or center pad, the horn switch was sometimes placed on the spokes or activated via a decorative horn ring which obviated the necessity to move a hand away from the rim. A further development, the (im low steering wheel, integrated the horn switch into the steering wheel rim itself. 'hen speed control systems were introduced in the 12/3s, some automakers located the operating switches for this feature on the steering wheel. &n the 1223s, a proliferation of new buttons began to appear on automobile steering wheels. (emote or alternate ad$ustments for the audio system, the telephone and voice control, acoustic repetition of the last navigation instruction, infotainment system, and on board computer functions can be operated comfortably and safely using buttons on the steering wheel. 5his ensures a high standard of additional safety since the driver is able in this way to control and operate many systems without even taking hands off the wheel or eyes off the road. 5he scroll buttons can be used to set volume levels or page through menus. +teering wheel audio control can use universal interfaces and adapters. 5he buttons can be ad$usted manually for reach and height.

(lectric systems
Electric power steering (EPS or EPAS) is designed to use an electric motor to reduce effort by providing steering assist to the driver of a vehicle. +ensors detect the motion and tor;ue of the steering column, and a computer module applies assistive tor;ue via an electric motor coupled directly to either the steering gear or steering column. 5his allows varying amounts of assistance to be applied depending on driving conditions. 5he system allows engineers to tailor steering.gear response to variable.rate and variable.damping suspension systems achieving an ideal blend of ride, handling, and steering for each vehicle. 7n -iat group cars the amount of assistance can be regulated using a button named <4&5E< that switches between two different assist curves, while most other !"+ systems have

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variable assist, which allows for more assistance as the speed of a vehicle decreases and less assistance from the system during high.speed situations. &n the event of component failure, a mechanical linkage such as a rack and pinion serves as a back.up in a manner similar to that of hydraulic systems. !lectric power steering should not be confused with drive.by.wire or steer. by.wire systems which use electric motors for steering, but without any mechanical linkage to the steering wheel. !lectric systems have a slight advantage in fuel efficiency because there is no belt.driven hydraulic pump constantly running, whether assistance is re;uired or not, and this is a ma$or reason for their introduction. Another ma$or advantage is the elimination of a belt.driven engine accessory, and several high.pressure hydraulic hoses between the hydraulic pump, mounted on the engine, and the steering gear, mounted on the chassis. 5his greatly simplifies manufacturing and maintenance. y incorporating electronic stability control electric power steering systems can instantly vary tor;ue assist levels to aid the driver in evasive manoeuvres. 5he peak power output of the electrical system of a vehicle limits the capability of electric steering assist. A 1%.volt electrical system, for example, is limited to about 13 amps of current which, in turn, limits the si?e of the motor to less than 1 kilowatt (1%., volts times 13 amps e;uals 1333 watts). 5his amount of power would be ade;uate for smaller vehicles. &t would probably be considered insufficient for larger vehicles such as trucks and +NKs. 5here are other types of electrical systems such as the %*.volt electrical system and other variants used for hybrid and electric vehicles. 5hese have greater capacity that enables use of multi kilowatt motors needed for large and mid.si?e vehicles. 5he first electric power steering systems appeared on the >onda I+F in 1223, the >onda +%333 in 1222, and on the :' J* in %33%. 5oday a number of manufacturers use electric power steering. (eviews in the automotive press often comment that certain steering systems with electric assist do not have a satisfactory amount of <road feel<. (oad feel refers to the relationship between the force needed to steer the vehicle and the force that the driver exerts on the steering wheel. (oad feel gives the driver the sub$ective perception that they are engaged in steering the vehicle. 5he amount of road feel is controlled by the computer module that operates the electric power steering system. &n theory, the software should be able to ad$ust the amount of road feel to satisfy drivers. &n practice, it has been difficult to reconcile various design constraints while producing a more pronounced road feel. 5he same argument has been applied to hydraulic power steering as well.

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)ariable gear ratios

&n %333, >onda launched the +%333 5ype K e;uipped with the world's first electric power variable gear ratio steering (KD+) system. &n %33%, 5oyota introduced their own <Kariable Dear (atio +teering (KD(+)< system introduced on the Cexus CF *03 and Cand cruiser 4ygnus, and also incorporated the electronic stability control system to alter steering gear ratios and steering assist levels. &n %33), :' introduced their <Active +teering< system on the ,.series. 5his system should not be confused with variable assist power steering which varies steering assist tor;ue not steering ratios, nor with systems where the gear ratio is only varied as a function of steering angle.