n automobiles, power steering (also power assisted steering (PAS) or steering assist

system) helps drivers steer by augmenting steering effort of the steering wheel.
Hydraulic or electric actuators add controlled energy to the steering mechanism, so the driver
can provide less effort to turn the steered wheels when driving at typical speeds, and reduce
considerably the physical effort necessary to turn the wheels when a vehicle is stopped or
moving slowly. Power steering can also be engineered to provide some artificial feedback of
forces acting on the steered wheels.
Representative power steering systems for cars augment steering effort via an actuator, a
hydraulic cylinder that is part of a servo system. These systems have a direct mechanical
connection between the steering wheel and the linkage that steers the wheels. This means that
power-steering system failure (to augment effort) still permits the vehicle to be steered using
manual effort alone.
Other power steering systems (such as those in the largest off-road construction vehicles) have
no direct mechanical connection to the steering linkage; they require electrical power. Systems of
this kind, with no mechanical connection, are sometimes called "drive by wire" or "steer by wire",
by analogy with aviation's "fly-by-wire". In this context, "wire" refers to electrical cables that carry
power and data, not thin-wire-rope mechanical control cables.
In other power steering systems, electric motors provide the assistance instead of hydraulic
systems. As with hydraulic types, power to the actuator (motor, in this case) is controlled by the
rest of the power-steering system.
Some construction vehicles have a two-part frame with a rugged hinge in the middle; this hinge
allows the front and rear axles to become non-parallel to steer the vehicle. Opposing hydraulic
cylinders move the halves of the frame relative to each other to steer.
Contents
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1History

2Hydraulic systems
o

2.1DIRAVI variable-assist power steering

3Electro-hydraulic systems

4Electric systems
o

4.1Electrically variable gear ratio systems

5References

6External links

History[edit]
The first power steering system on an automobile was apparently installed in 1876 by a man with
the surname of Fitts, but little else is known about him. [1] The next power steering system was put
on a Columbia 5-ton truck in 1903 where a separate electric motor was used to assist the driver
in turning the front wheels.[1][2]
Robert E. Twyford, a resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, included a mechanical power steering
mechanism as part of his patent (U.S. Patent 646,477) issued on April 3, 1900 for the first fourwheel drive system.[3]
Francis W. Davis, an engineer of the truck division of Pierce-Arrow, began exploring how steering
could be made easier, and in 1926 invented and demonstrated the first practical power steering
system.[4][5][6] Davis moved to General Motors and refined the hydraulic-assisted power steering
system, but the automaker calculated it would be too expensive to produce. [5] Davis then signed
up with Bendix, a parts manufacturer for automakers. Military needs during World War II for
easier steering on heavy vehicles boosted the need for power assistance on armored cars and
tank-recovery vehicles for the British and American armies.[5]
Chrysler Corporation introduced the first commercially available passenger car power steering
system on the 1951 Chrysler Imperial under the name "Hydraguide".[7] The Chrysler system was
based on some of Davis's expired patents. General Motors introduced the 1952 Cadillac with a
power steering system using the work Davis had done for the company almost twenty years
earlier.[8]
Charles F. Hammond from Detroit filed several patents for improvements of power steering with
the Canadian Intellectual Property Office in 1958.[9][10][11]
Most new vehicles now have power steering, owing to the trends toward front wheel drive,
greater vehicle mass, and wider tires, which all increase the required steering effort. Heavier
vehicles, as are common in some countries, would be extremely difficult to maneuver at low
speeds, while vehicles of lighter weight may not need power assisted steering at all.

Hydraulic systems[edit]

A power steering fluid reservoir and pulley driven pump

Hydraulic power steering systems work by using a hydraulic system to multiply force applied to
the steering wheel inputs to the vehicle's steered (usually front) road wheels. [12] The hydraulic
pressure typically comes from a gerotor or rotary vane pump driven by the vehicle's engine. A
double-acting hydraulic cylinder applies a force to the steering gear, which in turn steers the
roadwheels. The steering wheel operates valves to control flow to the cylinder. The more torque
the driver applies to the steering wheel and column, the more fluid the valves allow through to
the cylinder, and so the more force is applied to steer the wheels.[13]
One design for measuring the torque applied to the steering wheel has a torque sensor
a torsion bar at the lower end of the steering column. As the steering wheel rotates, so does the
steering column, as well as the upper end of the torsion bar. Since the torsion bar is relatively
thin and flexible, and the bottom end usually resists being rotated, the bar will twist by an amount
proportional to the applied torque. The difference in position between the opposite ends of the
torsion bar controls a valve. The valve allows fluid to flow to the cylinder which provides steering
assistance; the greater the "twist" of the torsion bar, the greater the force.
Since the hydraulic pumps are positive-displacement type, the flow rate they deliver is directly
proportional to the speed of the engine. This means that at high engine speeds the steering
would naturally operate faster than at low engine speeds. Because this would be undesirable, a
restricting orifice and flow-control valve direct some of the pump's output back to the hydraulic
reservoir at high engine speeds. A pressure relief valve prevents a dangerous build-up of
pressure when the hydraulic cylinder's piston reaches the end of its stroke.
The steering booster is arranged so that should the booster fail, the steering will continue to work
(although the wheel will feel heavier). Loss of power steering can significantly affect the handling

of a vehicle. Each vehicle owner's manual gives instructions for inspection of fluid levels and
regular maintenance of the power steering system.
The working liquid, also called "hydraulic fluid" or "oil", is the medium by which pressure is
transmitted. Common working liquids are based on mineral oil.
Some modern systems also include an electronic control valve to reduce the hydraulic supply
pressure as the vehicle's speed increases; this is variable-assist power steering.

DIRAVI variable-assist power steering[edit]

Main article: DIRAVI
DIRAVI innovated the now common benefit of speed sensitive steering.[14]
In this power steering system, the force steering the wheels comes from the car's high pressure
hydraulic system and is always the same no matter what the road speed is. Turning the steering
wheel moves the wheels simultaneously to a corresponding angle via a hydraulic cylinder. In
order to give some artificial steering feel, there is a separate hydraulically operated system that
tries to turn the steering wheel back to centre position. The amount of pressure applied is
proportional to road speed, so that at low speeds the steering is very light, and at high speeds it
is very difficult to move more than a small amount off centre.
It was invented by Citron of France.
As long as there is pressure in the car's hydraulic system, there is no mechanical connection
between the steering wheel and the roadwheels. This system was first introduced in the Citron
SM in 1970, and was known as 'VariPower' in the UK and 'SpeedFeel' in the U.S.
In the late 1960s, General Motors offered a variable-ratio power steering system as an option on
Pontiac and other vehicles[citation needed].

Electro-hydraulic systems[edit]
Electro-hydraulic power steering systems, sometimes abbreviated EHPS, and also sometimes
called "hybrid" systems, use the same hydraulic assist technology as standard systems, but the
hydraulic pressure comes from a pump driven by an electric motor instead of a drive belt at the
engine.
In 1965, Ford experimented with a fleet of "wrist-twist instant steering" equipped Mercury Park
Lanes that replaced the conventional large steering wheel with two 5-inch (127 mm) rings, a fast
15:1 gear ratio, and an electric hydraulic pump in case the engine stalled. [15][16]

In 1988, the Subaru XT6 was fitted with a unique Cybrid adaptive electro-hydraulic steering
system that changed the level of assistance based on the vehicle's speed.
In 1990, Toyota introduced its second-generation MR2 with electro-hydraulic power steering. This
avoided running hydraulic lines from the engine (which was behind the driver in the MR2) up to
the steering rack. In 1994 Volkswagen produced the Mark 3 Golf Ecomatic, with an electric
pump. This meant that the power steering would still operate while the engine was stopped by
the computer to save fuel.[17] Electro-hydraulic systems can be found in some cars
by Ford, Volkswagen, Audi, Peugeot, Citroen, SEAT, koda, Suzuki,Opel, MINI, Toyota, Honda,
and Mazda.

Electric systems[edit]
Electric power assisted steering (EPS/EPAS) or motor-driven power steering (MDPS) uses
an electric motor to assist the driver of a vehicle. Sensors detect the position and torque of the
steering column, and a computer module applies assistive torque via the motor, which connects
to either the steering gear or steering column. This allows varying amounts of assistance to be
applied depending on driving conditions. Engineers can therefore tailor steering-gear response to
variable-rate and variable-damping suspension systems, optimizing ride, handling, and steering
for each vehicle.[18] On Fiat group cars the amount of assistance can be regulated using a button
named "CITY" that switches between two different assist curves, while most other EPS systems
have variable assist. These give more assistance as the vehicle slows down, and less at faster
speeds.
A mechanical linkage between the steering wheel and the steering gear is retained in EPAS. In
the event of component failure or power failure that causes a failure to provide assistance, the
mechanical linkage serves as a back-up. When EPAS fails, the driver encounters a situation
where heavy effort is required to steer. This heavy effort is similar to that of an inoperative
hydraulic steering assist system. Depending on the driving situation, driving skill and strength of
the driver, steering assist loss may or may not lead to a crash. The difficulty of steering with
inoperative power steering is compounded by the choice of steering ratios in assisted steering
gears vs. fully manual. NHTSA has assisted car manufacturers, such as Ford, with recalling
EPAS systems prone to failure.[19]
Electric systems have an advantage in fuel efficiency because there is no belt-driven hydraulic
pump constantly running, whether assistance is required or not, and this is a major reason for
their introduction. Another major advantage is the elimination of a belt-driven engine accessory,
and several high-pressure hydraulic hoses between the hydraulic pump, mounted on the engine,
and the steering gear, mounted on the chassis. This greatly simplifies manufacturing and
maintenance. By incorporating electronic stability controlelectric power steering systems can
instantly vary torque assist levels to aid the driver in corrective maneuvers. [20]

The first electric power steering system appeared on the Suzuki Cervo in 1988. [21] The system
has been applied by various automobile manufacturers.

Electrically variable gear ratio systems[edit]

In 2000, the Honda S2000 Type V featured the first electric power variable gear ratio steering
(VGS) system.[22] In 2002, Toyota introduced the "Variable Gear Ratio Steering" (VGRS) system
on the Lexus LX 470 and Landcruiser Cygnus, and also incorporated the electronic stability
control system to alter steering gear ratios and steering assist levels. In 2003, BMW introduced
"active steering" system on the 5-series.[23]
This system should not be confused with variable assist power steering, which varies steering
assist torque, not steering ratios, nor with systems where the gear ratio is only varied as a
function of steering angle. These last are more accurately called non-linear types (e.g. DirectSteer offered by Mercedes); a plot of steering-wheel position versus axle steering angle is
progressively curved (and symmetrical).

References[edit]
1.

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