ADVANCED: New technology out next year
Advanced steering technology which makes vehicles easier to manoeuvre will hit Europe next year, Ford have revealed.
The new technology improves steering feel at all speeds, especially at the lower end of the spectrum when navigating tight spaces.
At higher speeds, Ford claim the steering makes the vehicle more agile and fun to drive.
Normal adaptive steering changes the ratio between the driver’s actions at the steering wheel – the number of turns – and how much the front wheels turn.
In traditional vehicles, this is a fixed steering ratio but, with Ford’s new Adaptive Steering, the steering ratio continually changes with vehicle speed.
Ford’s system uses a precision-controlled actuator placed inside the steering wheel, and requires no change to a vehicle’s traditional steering system.
The actuator – an electric motor and gearing system – can essentially add to or subtract from a driver’s steering inputs.
Ford’s new technology, developed in collaboration with Takata, will be available on select vehicles beginning next year.
Raj Nair, Vice President of Global Product Development at Ford, said: “First and foremost, all Ford Motor Company products have to offer a great driving experience.
“This new steering technology can make any vehicle easier to manoeuvre and more fun to drive.”
