Nissan Unveils New Electronic Steering System

The Nissan Motor Company has created an electronic steering system that does away with the mechanical linkage currently used to steer the tires.

The company has said that instead, the system, which may find a home in Nissan's Infiniti brand, sends electronic signals from the steering wheel to on-board computers that activate the steering rack to turn the wheels. There are redundancy controls, like a back-up clutch control, should the system fail, Nissan says.

Besides doing away with the traditional hardware, the technology is safer - it responds more quickly than existing methods - and it “enhances the driving experience,” Nissan said.

“For example, even on a road surface with minor ridges or furrows, the driver no longer has to grip the steering wheel tightly and make detailed adjustments, so traveling on the intended path becomes easier,” the company said in a statement.

Another potential benefit, besides improving fuel efficiency by reduc ing the vehicle's weight, is the possibility of making the steering wheel more “mobile.”

“We would be able to place the steering wheel wherever we like, such as in the back seat, or it would be possible to steer the car with a joystick,” said Masaharu Satou, a Nissan engineer.

The company sees its “independent control steering technology” as part of an overall methodology that includes sensors, monitors and cameras to foster accident avoidance. If the system “sees” a pedestrian stepping into the car's path, the electronic steering could take quicker evasive action than current systems, Nissan says.