Ford's Bringing Adaptive Steering To the Masses

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Ford's Bringing Adaptive Steering To the Masses

Posted by Soulskill on Friday May 30, 2014 @05:52AM from the power-power-steering dept.

cartechboy writes: "Most automakers have made the jump from hydraulic power steering to electronic power steering to help conserve fuel. By using an electric motor instead of a hydraulic system, less energy is drawn from the engine. Many luxury automakers have also introduced adaptive steering with the electronic power steering systems, but now Ford is looking to bring this feature to the masses. Adaptive steering builds on the existing speed-sensitive function of the electronic power steering system by altering the steering ratio and effort based on driver inputs and settings. The system uses a precision-controlled actuator placed inside the steering wheel. It's an electric motor and gearing system that can essentially add or subtract from the driver's steering inputs. This will make the vehicle easier to maneuver at low speeds, and make a vehicle feel more stable at high speeds. The system (video) will be offered on certain Ford vehicles within the next 12 months."

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Ghost in the machine by DigiShaman · 2014-05-30 05:59 · Score: 5, Interesting

Does that mean that if one of those actuators or logic board malfunctions, that it could steer a car into traffic? All it takes is for a few milliseconds and some force to jerk the wheel out of someone's hands. Or so I would imagine.

--
Life is not for the lazy.
1. Re:Ghost in the machine by K.+S.+Kyosuke · 2014-05-30 06:09 · Score: 2
  
  I'm pretty sure designers of fly-by-wire airplanes have already solved the problem. ;-)
  
  --
  Ezekiel 23:20
2. Re:Ghost in the machine by HideyoshiJP · 2014-05-30 06:15 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  That would also be an issue with the electric steering alone. While it's hydraulic, my RX-7 also has speed sensitive power steering and it works rather well. Variable ratio steering was first available on the Honda S2000, and I don't think anyone's complaining. This system simply uses EPAS to accomplish much the same thing.
3. Re:Ghost in the machine by Anonymous Coward · 2014-05-30 06:17 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  I remember reading about a vehicle made in Europe that was completely drive-by-wire with no mechanical linkages whatsoever. Of course, some vehicles had glitches, and when they did, there was nothing to do but hope the wreck didn't kill you.
  You know how many criminal organizations would love to be able to use an assist motor to jam a steering wheel at will? With how interconnected vehicles are, it might just take a bluetooth hole to get on the CANBus, then go from there.
  I wouldn't blame Ford specifically, but I do worry about things like GM's OnStar being a prime target for hackers. Get control of that, disable all GM cars, tout the accomplishment, and win immense street cred. Same with getting motor-assisted steering to start jerking the wheel at random to cause crashes, it would put an organization on the map and give them respect worldwide.
  Car makers have been good, but in general, most companies feel that security has no ROI, so don't do much than lip service, and coupled with all the crap that can take over a vehicle's ECM [1], it can be concerning.
  [1]: I was reading about a "tattle" device by one insurance company which apparently something over the OBD 2 connector, so if the device was removed, the vehicle wouldn't start. Is this real? Doubtful, but it is concerning.
4. Re:Ghost in the machine by perpenso · 2014-05-30 06:18 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  I'm pretty sure designers of fly-by-wire airplanes have already solved the problem. ;-)
  Yes, they had ejection seats for the first couple of decades of fly-by-wire. ;-)
5. Re:Ghost in the machine by perpenso · 2014-05-30 06:29 · Score: 2
  
  Does that mean that if one of those actuators or logic board malfunctions, that it could steer a car into traffic?
  Or becomes unresponsive when the key disengages, like power steering in the recent GM recall scandal? At least there steering only became difficult. They are going to have to power the system as long as the wheels are turning.
6. Re:Ghost in the machine by ottawanker · 2014-05-30 07:09 · Score: 3, Interesting
  
  Electric power steering works with sensors on the steering wheel that detect when you turn it, and how much. The car then does some calculations taking into account the force and speed with which you turn the wheel, and the speed at which the vehicle is traveling. It then activates a motor, which actually turns the wheels.
  I believe there is an electromagnetic clutch that disconnects the steering wheel from the actual rack and pinion, unless a fault is detected.
7. Re:Ghost in the machine by Kozar_The_Malignant · 2014-05-30 07:09 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  They also had people shooting at them...
  Sort of like driving in west Oakland.
  
  --
  Some mornings it's hardly worth chewing through the restraints to get out of bed.
8. Re:Ghost in the machine by sn0wcrash · 2014-05-30 07:32 · Score: 2
  
  I had one of the Pontiac G6s with the electric power steering assist. Let me tell you, when that electric assist went out it was exceedingly difficult to turn. Even at speed. Hydraulically assisted cars of the past would still be relatively easy to steer when moving over about 5mph. That G6 was absolutely dangerous when the electric assist failed. While GM claimed there was no issue, they did revert to hydraulic steering assist in later models. That alone should tell you the truth of the matter.
9. Re:Ghost in the machine by Grishnakh · 2014-05-30 07:34 · Score: 5, Informative
  
  Electric power steering works with sensors on the steering wheel that detect when you turn it, and how much. The car then does some calculations taking into account the force and speed with which you turn the wheel, and the speed at which the vehicle is traveling. It then activates a motor, which actually turns the wheels.
  No, it doesn't.
  EPS is little different from hydraulic power steering. The motor merely assists the driver in steering the car. There's still a direct mechanical connection between the wheel and the steering arms. The sensors on the steering wheel are detecting how much torque you're applying to the wheel, and use that and the road speed to determine how much assist to give via the motor.
  There's no clutch in normal EPS cars. These new variable-ratio ones, however, might just work that way.
10. Re:Ghost in the machine by hackertourist · 2014-05-30 07:45 · Score: 5, Informative
  
  Depends on the implementation. BMW, for instance, uses a planetary gear set connected to the steering wheel, the rack and an electric motor. If the motor or the adaptive steering logic fails, the motor is locked and you get an ordinary constant-ratio steering system.
  Checking whether the steering output matches the input would take care of your scenario.
11. Re:Ghost in the machine by the_other_chewey · 2014-05-30 08:08 · Score: 2
  
  I remember reading about a vehicle made in Europe that was completely drive-by-wire with no mechanical linkages whatsoever.
  This might have been the Mercedes-Benz F200 concept car -
  driven by completely electronic sidesticks.
  
  This allowed for some cool features, e.g. completely vibration-free controls on
  cobblestones while the electronic steering made continuous tiny adjustments to
  the front wheels.
  
  It also means it had no chance to be certified for public roads.
12. Re:Ghost in the machine by jcdr · 2014-05-30 09:17 · Score: 2
  
  This is old news: this system is already used on some cars since many years. Toyota for example have it at least since the 10 years old Prius II.
  And now think about the driverless Google car...
13. Re:Ghost in the machine by LinuxIsGarbage · 2014-05-30 09:45 · Score: 2
  
  I remember reading about a vehicle made in Europe that was completely drive-by-wire with no mechanical linkages whatsoever. Of course, some vehicles had glitches, and when they did, there was nothing to do but hope the wreck didn't kill you.
  You know how many criminal organizations would love to be able to use an assist motor to jam a steering wheel at will? With how interconnected vehicles are, it might just take a bluetooth hole to get on the CANBus, then go from there.
  I wouldn't blame Ford specifically, but I do worry about things like GM's OnStar being a prime target for hackers. Get control of that, disable all GM cars, tout the accomplishment, and win immense street cred. Same with getting motor-assisted steering to start jerking the wheel at random to cause crashes, it would put an organization on the map and give them respect worldwide.
  Car makers have been good, but in general, most companies feel that security has no ROI, so don't do much than lip service, and coupled with all the crap that can take over a vehicle's ECM [1], it can be concerning.
  [1]: I was reading about a "tattle" device by one insurance company which apparently something over the OBD 2 connector, so if the device was removed, the vehicle wouldn't start. Is this real? Doubtful, but it is concerning.
  Even without steer by wire, this can be accomplished with electric power steering. As an example, look at "Active Park Assist". The system will command the steering wheel to turn, pretty much to full lock, based on what the sensors see. I assume (maybe?) if it detects resistance on the steering wheel it won't over power it, but the technology is already there for the wheels to turn as the computer sees fit. Electronic Throttle Control means the gas pedal is really just a suggestion to the computer, and hybrids with regenerative braking, the brakes are (somewhat?) brake by wire.
  Plus with push button start, to kill power for have to hold the power button for several seconds if you need an emergency shut down due to a malfunction. Cars are also moving to electronic parking brakes too.
While Google eliminates the steering wheel... by sillivalley · 2014-05-30 06:03 · Score: 2

So tell me please, which company is the innovator?
Re:Radical new way to steer the car. by 140Mandak262Jamuna · 2014-05-30 06:05 · Score: 2

Fixing the no-hot-link issue. This is the device.

--
sed -e 's/Chuck Norris/Rajnikant/g' joke > fact
Re:Radical new way to steer the car. by Grishnakh · 2014-05-30 06:06 · Score: 3, Interesting

This is a stupid idea. For one thing, a big, red, octagonal stop sign is not a good way to steer a car.
But in case you're talking about joysticks, those are terrible ways to control cars, because they don't have the range of motion that a steering wheel does. If they made any sense at all, you'd see Formula 1 cars with them. You don't. F1 cars all use steering wheels, despite being loaded with an incredible amount of technology.
Ghost in the machine by Anonymous Coward · 2014-05-30 06:07 · Score: 5, Funny

No thanks, I'll keep my hand on the burger and cell phone and coffee and makeup and... where I'm in full control
Old tech is new news? by elistan · 2014-05-30 06:08 · Score: 3, Informative

This isn't exactly new. While I don't know how exactly the system works, Honda offered variable gear steering on the S2000 Type V 14 years ago. A while I don't know if any "for the masses" cars has variable gear steering, there are a number of manufacturers who currently offer it. (BMW, for example.)
1. Re:Old tech is new news? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-05-30 07:58 · Score: 2, Interesting
  
  My 1968 Firebird has Variable Ratio steering that was an original option. It works very nicely.
  The only problem: you get used to it and when you drive a car without it, it feels like the steering is too quick, twitchy, difficult to control, and you could oversteer at higher speeds.
  I think all of these automated safety things are great, but if someone who is used to them then has to drive an older or simpler car, they might cause an accident. I'm not saying we should not have these features; I'm just saying that people need to be aware of the differences.
Bleh by m.dillon · 2014-05-30 06:15 · Score: 3, Insightful

Sounds idiotic to me. Non-linear steering is great, but any sort of dynamic/adaptive steering that changes according to conditions is stupid beyond belief and will cause an endless stream of accidents because the driver can no longer predict how the car will react to similar steering motions.
-Matt
1. Re:Bleh by RJFerret · 2014-05-30 06:38 · Score: 2
  
  I loved it, felt like manual rack and pinion at high speed, felt similar to hydraulic power steering at low speed but far smoother. Humans are dynamic/adaptive creatures, and it doesn't feel any different at different speeds--if you didn't know it was an adaptive electronic system, you'd have no clue. Congrats Ford on catching up to what Honda was doing a decade and half ago.
2. Re:Bleh by LanceUppercut · 2014-05-30 06:57 · Score: 2
  
  Firstly, BMW cars with AS systems in them have notoriously bad steering feel. Secondly, BMW has abandoned AS in favor of ordinary electric boosters. So, it looks like at least someone at BMW decided that this tech is not gonna fly.
3. Re:Bleh by sexconker · 2014-05-30 08:03 · Score: 2
  
  Sounds idiotic to me. Non-linear steering is great, but any sort of dynamic/adaptive steering that changes according to conditions is stupid beyond belief and will cause an endless stream of accidents because the driver can no longer predict how the car will react to similar steering motions.
  -Matt
  Wow, that's great insight. Glad you're around to lend your experience to those idiots at BMW and Mercedes, who clearly haven't thought of this when deploying the technology.
  Do you find it difficult to look at your Samsung Gear smart watch when wearing the 3D glasses for your TV? Oh, and what's your wifi SSID? I thought it was "COOLBOX" but that's just your smart fridge.
  HINT: Companies pursue and push out tons of tech and features that are shit.
4. Re:Bleh by nospam007 · 2014-05-30 09:06 · Score: 2
  
  "Sounds idiotic to me. Non-linear steering is great, but any sort of dynamic/adaptive steering that changes according to conditions is stupid beyond belief and will cause an endless stream of accidents because the driver can no longer predict how the car will react to similar steering motions."
  Only for companies that are unable to create a working ignition switch.
Considering the recent recalls... by cjjjer · 2014-05-30 06:39 · Score: 2

Ford recall affects Ford Escape and Mercury models from 2008 through 2011 model years and some 2011-2013 Ford Explorer models. The Ford recall was made due to issues with electric power steering systems.
http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/In-Gear/2014/0530/Ford-recall-includes-914-000-Escape-Explorer-SUVs-with-power-steering-issue
Really Ford?
I have a ford by Charliemopps · 2014-05-30 06:48 · Score: 3, Interesting

I have a ford with adaptive steering... You can barely tell its there. The basic goal is to give you lots of help while the car is stationary or moving slow... but make it harder to jerk the wheel when doing 80. Back in the 80s they way over did power steering so you had basically no road feel at all and if someone even bumped the wheel while you were on the freeway it could send you into a spin or cause you to roll. So they cut back on the amount of "help" power steering provided.
But my truck was recalled yesterday because faults in the system could cause power steering to fail and lead to an accident. They've had 7 confirmed accidents due to this out of some 800,000 vehicles sold.
Ironic this story pops up a day after a recall for the very feature being advertised. lol
1. Re:I have a ford by LanceUppercut · 2014-05-30 07:44 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  No, you don't have "a Ford with adaptive steering". No Ford was ever made with the feature in question. Ford is just thinking about introducing it. You have a Ford with variable amount of steering boost. This has been around forever, even in hydraulic systems. But this is not adaptive steering discussed here. Adaptive steering requires variable steering ratio. Your Ford does not have variable steering ratio.
First introduced by Honda by LanceUppercut · 2014-05-30 06:50 · Score: 2

This system was first introduced by Honda in the their JDM S2000. It was later copied by BMW as their "Active Steering" system and offered in USA in 5-series and 3-series cars. Note that such systems effectively break the solid link between the steering wheel and the steering rack. There were a number of reports of Active Steering failures in 3-series BMW E9x cars. BMW abandoned the system for in new 3-series, replacing of with ordinary electric booster without ratio-changing ability.
Re:News? by LanceUppercut · 2014-05-30 06:55 · Score: 2

False. Electric boosters ("power steering") systems have been quite widely used for a while already. However, in this case they are talking about something totally different: ratio-changing and self-steering systems. So far only Honda used it in Japanese market and BMW used exactly the same system (as an optional feature) everywhere. Lexus also has its own a ratio-changing system, implemented differently. Overall, such systems are rather rare and typically offered as an option. It is not correct to say that anyone "switched" to anything like that.
Re:Radical new way to steer the car. by dj245 · 2014-05-30 07:04 · Score: 3, Interesting

Not even proper joysticks, but shitty mini-analogs.
All you need to do to discover how bad an idea joystick controls on a car would be is to try to use a scissor lift. They have a lot of torque (at low top speed), and you basically have to wedge your arm into the control harness and control the stick with a stiff wrist. Otherwise, you push the stick forward, the lift accelerates, inertia jerks your arm back, and you pull back on the stick. Rinse, repeat...
Or try driving any piece of heavy equipment over any kind of rough ground. I wondered why the front-end loader driver kept revving the engine. When I drove it myself, I quickly found out that rough ground + no suspension made the operator's foot bounce on the gas pedal and create a positive feedback cycle. More bump = more bouncing off the gas pedal = even more bumping around.

Also Saab tried a joystick control in one of their prototypes . Top Gear tried it out in one episode, it didn't work very well at all.

--
Even those who arrange and design shrubberies are under considerable economic stress at this period in history.
I dislike electric power steering by sinij · 2014-05-30 07:12 · Score: 2

As a car guy, I prefer hydraulic power steering. Electric implementations so far leave you too isolated from the road (both input and output, or feedback are important when handling car). It is also unclear how these new systems will age or if they will fail gracefully.
Re:IS it more stable, or does it FEEL more stable? by Kozar_The_Malignant · 2014-05-30 07:20 · Score: 2

My girlfriend's 1966 Dodge Dart had power steering and was 7.5 turns lock to lock compared to my 1959 TR3 with no power steering and 2.5 turns lock to lock. Your description of the steering going from mushy to terrifying certainly applied to that Dodge. As you say, the TR3 felt like it was on rails.

--
Some mornings it's hardly worth chewing through the restraints to get out of bed.
Re:Old Tech! by Anonymous Coward · 2014-05-30 07:23 · Score: 2, Informative

Very old news.
I'm not sure about the US, but Euro and Asian car makers have been using similar electric power steering systems (assisted by a motor in the steering column or steering rack) since the early 2000's.
Also... Electric power steering systems are NOT fly by wire. A physical link still remains between the steering wheel and wheels. The EPS system could loose power or malfunction and you would still be able to steer ok.
(I've just retrofitted EPS from a 2006 Toyota RAV4 into a 1990 Toyota Celica)
Re:Friends don't let friends drive Fords.... by afidel · 2014-05-30 07:27 · Score: 2

And I had 4 Taurus/Sables that I bought used and drove to over 225k miles each, so long as you got the Duratec 3.0 those cars were bulletproof. The only reason I went away from them is that I wanted AWD and better gas mileage.

--
There are 4 boxes to use in the defense of liberty: soap, ballot, jury, ammo. Use in that order. Starting now.
Re:Old Tech! by Anonymous Coward · 2014-05-30 09:00 · Score: 2, Informative

What if it malfunctions and actively fights against you?
Read IEC 61508 and ISO 26262
The standard documents can be purchased from whatever organization is responsible for standardization in you country.
They cover all the "What if contrived example" that you will find people posting on Slashdot.
Re:Radical new way to steer the car. by Anonymous Coward · 2014-05-30 09:14 · Score: 2, Informative

Electronically controlled power steering is not allowed in F1.
http://www.formula1.com/inside_f1/rules_and_regulations/technical_regulations/8708/