Nissan Developing Independent Steering Control, Expected to Hit the Market in Late 2013

The engineers over at Nissan have been busy as of late. The Japanese automaker recently unveiled its new multifaceted rear-view camera system for the Altima and today, it unveiled another new technology. Nissan has been developing an in-house steering technology that allows the driver to have control of each individual wheel angle through the steering input.  What makes this system so special is that instead of the conventional system used in the majority of vehicles  on the road today, Nissan’s steering system dictates through electronic signals.

The new steering system takes where the driver is turning the wheel and electronically relays a signal down to the wheels. Without all of the mechanical parts, the driver can get a response down to the wheels faster. Besides controlling the wheels through an electronic system, it also numbs rough road surfaces, taking pressure of the driver. This helps the driver as they no longer have to grip the steering wheel with white knuckles to control the vehicle while going over uneven terrain.

Along with the new steering system, Nissan has also been developing a camera that’s mounted above the vehicle’s rear-view mirror. This camera is tasked with knowing when the vehicle is leaving a lane and picking up on other change in direction. The camera scans the road to improve stability and changes the input angel of the wheels so that the vehicle can continue on in the lane it’s traveling in. This camera systems relays commands through many different electronic control units which works to cut down on redundant steering motions which in turn, makes the driver feel less tired at the end of a drive.

Both of these systems are made possible by many ECUs that ride on-board. In the event that the electronics system experiences a complete and total failure, a backup clutch will kick in to reconnect the steering to the wheels immediately.

While Nissan hasn’t come out and said when this technology will be available exactly, it did say some Infiniti models will begin using it within a year. Stay tuned as more details unfold about what vehicles will get this technology and when exactly that it will be available.

-Courtesy of Automotive.com