A revolution in driving pleasure - BMW reinvents steering

Active Steering from BMW gives the driver unprecedented support and assistance but keeps him
in full control
Active steering
Photo: BMW
Munich - BMW is once again revolutionizing the world of driving, or to be more precise, the world of
steering. Introducing ctive !teering, a uni"ue and innovative new s#stem controlling the position of the
front wheels precisel# according to the driver$s commands. BMW is setting a new standard in agilit#,
comfort and safet#.
In the future BMW drivers will benefit directl# and noticeabl# from this brea%through in technolog# - on
fast stretches of the highwa#, on winding countr# roads, and when par%ing in town, and will en&o# even
greater motoring pleasure in the process, with ctive !teering further enhancing the t#pical virtues of
BMW steering. 'etaining its authentic feeling and feedbac% from steering in ever# respect, the car is
even more d#namic than before. t the same time ctive !teering raises motoring comfort to a new
standard through its ergonomic benefits. (ast but not least, ctive !teering sets a new benchmar% in
traffic safet#, ideall# supplementing BMW$s )#namic !tabilit# *ontrol +)!*, suspension s#stem,
ma%ing the entire process of steering the car even more pleasant and rela-ing than before, which helps to
reduce driving fatigue to an absolute minimum.
In contrast to the s#stems developed b# other manufacturers wor%ing on steer-b#-wire alone, without
an# mechanical lin% between the steering wheel and the front wheels, BMW$s ctive !teering still
incorporates a mechanical steering column permanentl# connecting the steering wheel with the front
wheels of the car. .his not onl# guarantees full maintenance of all steering functions even if one of the
assistance s#stems is not operating properl# or brea%s down altogether, but is also the prere"uisite for
the authentic steering /feel/ the driver appreciates so much. B# contrast, a steer-b#-wire s#stem alone is
unable to simulate such realistic feedbac% to the driver. .his is precisel# wh# BMW is now becoming the
first car ma%er in the world to consciousl# opt for ctive !teering as the trend setting technolog#
leading to all-out steer-b#-wire.
)evelopment of ctive !teering has now reached such a high standard that it will be introduced soon in
one of BMW$s ne-t model generations. BMW will therefore be the first car ma%er in the world to offer
the BMW customer the full pleasure of d#namic motoring with enhanced safet# and motoring comfort
all in one - and all this with the authentic steering e-perience so t#pical of a BMW.
.he core element of the revolutionar# ctive !teering s#stem is the steering override function provided
b# a planetar# gearbo- integrated into a split steering column. cting through a self-inhibiting gear
wheel, an electric motor intervenes as re"uired in this planetar# gearbo-, either increasing or ta%ing bac%
the steering angle of the front wheels. further component is the individuall# controlled power steering
+similar to BMW !ervotronic alread# well %nown in the mar%et, controlling steering forces as re"uired.
Interacting with one another, these two components ad&ust the steering angle of the front wheels and the
steering forces on the steering wheel to the respective situation on the road and the driver$s
re"uirements.
0nder normal driving conditions ctive !teering varies the steering transmission particularl# at low and
medium speeds, thus ma%ing the car even more agile and nimble in its behavior. In critical situations
ctive !teering serves furthermore to change the steering angles of the wheels, thus stabilizing the car
faster and more efficientl# than the driver would be able to himself. nd this offers d#namic driving
advantages in man# situations.
ctive !teering will give the driver significant d#namic driving benefits t#picall# on countr# roads,
where ctive !teering chooses a more direct steering trans-mission ratio than a conventional steering
s#stem, ma%ing the car even more agile and nimble in its response. 1uite appropriatel#, steering
behavior of this %ind is described as that t#pical /%art feeling/, the driver en&o#ing an even more agile
and d#namic motoring e-perience. When driving at ver# low speeds, on the other hand, for e-ample
when par%ing in town, the driver onl# has to turn the steering wheel twice than%s to this direct steering
transmission ratio in order to maneuver his BMW smoothl# and without the slightest effort into the most
confined par%ing space.
t higher speeds, for e-ample on the utobahn, the steering transmission ratio becomes increasingl#
indirect up to the level of a conventional steering +or even be#ond,. .he level of steering forces
increasing at the same time prevents an# undesired and unwanted movement of the steering, giving the
driver a significantl# higher standard of driving stabilit#. ctive !teering serves to carr# out driving
maneuvers at high speeds even more spontaneousl#, %eeping the driver safel# in control through purel#
intuitive movements of the steering.
Whenever driving stabilit# is limited, for e-ample on wet or slipper# roads or in crosswinds, ctive
!teering "uic%l# intervenes and improves driving stabilit# so significantl# that BMW$s )!* )#namic
!tabilit# *ontrol onl# has to intervene where reall# necessar#. .his is also the case when appl#ing the
bra%es on surfaces var#ing in grip +for e-ample with the left-hand wheels running on dr# asphalt offering
good and secure grip, while the wheels on the right are running on a loose emban%ment or road
shoulder, or when suddenl# changing direction, for e-ample to steer clear of an animal or an obstacle
abruptl# looming up in front of the car.
BMW ctive !teering therefore offers a uni"ue solution in solving the conflict of interests t#pical of
ever# conventional steering, providing harmon# of agilit#, stabilit# and comfort never seen in the past.
.han%s to ctive !teering, the BMW driver will benefit in future from significantl# enhanced driving
comfort, safet# and maneuverabilit#, en&o#ing t#pical BMW driving pleasure even more than before.
+ugust 2, 3443,