Nissan previews production steer-by-wire system

With as far electric power assist steering (EPAS) has come in recent years, it was only a matter of time before an automaker came up with a fully electric steering system. Nissan has developed such a system that replaces the mechanical steering linkage of today's cars with a "wired" steering column that uses drivers inputs to steer the front wheels via electronic controllers, and this type of system could be found on Infiniti models within the next year.

As bad as the feedback is on some current EPAS cars, we're a little skeptical about how such a system would feel, but Nissan says that not only will feedback be more direct, it will also be adjustable. Nissan's independent control steering technology will allow drivers to choose between "Sport" and "Standard" modes depending on what type of roads and driving condition they face. An added benefit of this system is that the steering wheel will be completely isolated from the rest of the steering system to reduce road vibrations felt by the driver.

This system also uses a camera to help keep the car driving in a straight line, meaning that drivers won't have to make constant small corrections, which Nissan says will reduce driver fatigue, and it can also auto correct in the event of crosswinds. As a safety precaution, Nissan's new steering system uses three redundant engine controllers to prevent any loss of steering, but in the event that the car loses total power, there is a clutch that can engage a backup mechanical link to allow the driver to control the front wheels.

Nissan is also working on an autonomous emergency steering system that seems to operate in the same vain as auto brake in some newer cars. If the car detects a possible collision, it will initially warn the driver with an audible tone and display. If this is ignored, it will then proceed to auto brake in an attempt to slow the car down. If a collision is still imminent, the car would then automatically swerve to avoid an accident. There are also sensors that can detect if a car is next to or coming head on with the vehicle to prevent an even worse collision.

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/17/n...y-wire-system/

 

Boy one step closer to cars driving themselves. I can tell you I would probably end up fighting the damn steering wheel over the direction the car was going lol

 

Have driven several 4 wheelers with electric steering, input is amazingly fast and the slightest move of the handles you can flip the vehicle if not careful, this only seems like natural progression and as well as another component of the car that will become maintenance free