Electric steering is coming soon; electric power steering systems promise weight reduction, fuel savings and package flexibility, at no cost penalty

Automotive Industries, May, 1998 by Norman Martin

Electric power steering systems promise weight reduction, fuel savings and package flexibility, at no cost penalty.

Europe's high fuel prices and smaller vehicles make a fertile testbed for electric steering, a technology that promises automakers weight savings and fuel economy gains. And in a short time, electric steering will make it to the U.S., too. "It's just just a matter of time," says Aly Badawy, director of research and development for Delphi Saginaw Steering Systems in Saginaw, Mich. "The issue was cost and that's behind us now. By 2002 here in the U.S. the cost of electric power steering will absolutely be a wash over hydraulic."

Today, electric and hybrid-powered vehicles (EV), including Toyota's Prius and GM's EV-1, are the perfect domain for electric steering. But by 2010, a TRW Inc. internal study estimates that one out of every three cars produced in the world will be equipped with some form of electrically-assisted steering. The Cleveland-based supplier claims its new steering systems could improve fuel economy by up to 2 mpg, while enhancing handling. There are true bottom-line benefits as well for automakers by reducing overall costs and decreasing assembly time, since there's no need for pumps, hoses and fluids.

Another claimed advantage is shortened development time. For instance, a Delphi group developed E-TUNE, a ride-and-handling software package that can be run off a laptop computer. "They can take that computer and plug it in, attach it to the controller and change all the handling parameters -- effort level, returnability, damping -- on the fly," Badawy says. "It used to take months." Delphi has one OEM customer that should start low-volume production in '99.

Electric steering units are normally placed in one of three positions: column-drive, pinion-drive and rack-drive. Which system will become the norm is still unclear. Short term, OEMs will choose the steering system that is easiest to integrate into an existing platform. Obviously, greater potential comes from designing the system into an all-new platform.

"We have all three designs under consideration," says Dr. Herman Strecker, group vice president of steering systems division at ZF in Schwaebisch Gmuend, Germany. "It's up to the market and OEMs which version finally will be used and manufactured."

"The large manufacturers have all grabbed hold of what they consider a core technology," explains James Handysides, TRW vice president, electrically assisted steering in Sterling Heights, Mich. His company offers a portfolio of electric steering systems (hybrid electric, rack-, pinion-, and column-drive). TRW originally concentrated on what it still believes is the purest engineering solution for electric steering--the rack-drive system. The system is sometimes refered to as direct drive or ball/nut drive.

Still, this winter TRW hedged its bet, forming a joint venture with LucasVarity. The British supplier received $50 million in exchange for its electric column-drive steering technology and as sets. Initial production of the column and pinion drive electric steering systems is expected to begin in Birmingham, England, in 2000.

"What we lack is the credibility in the steering market," says Brendan Conner, managing director, TRW/LucasVarity Electric Steering Ltd. "The combination with TRW provides us with a good opportunity for us to bridge that gap." LucasVarity currently has experimental systems on 11 different vehicle types, mostly European. TRW is currently supplying its EAS systems for Ford and Chrysler EVs in North America and for GM's new Opel Astra.

In 1995, according to Delphi, traditional hydraulic power steering systems were on 7596 of all vehicles sold globally. That 37-million vehicle pool consumes about 10 million gallons in hydraulic fluid that could be superfluous, if electric steering really takes off.