Ford has announced a new adaptive steering system developed in collaboration with Takata and expected to debut in 2015.
When you're looking at the latest new car deals and taking a few potential purchases out for a spin, one of your top priorities will usually be the quality of the drive. Is the vehicle easy to manoeuvre? Is it good in tight spaces? Does it make motoring fun?
According to Ford, these are some of the questions its engineers have been working to answer in time for the launch of the US automaker's 2015 model lineup.
The company announced this week that select vehicles next year will come equipped with a unique adaptive steering system, developed in collaboration with Japanese parts maker Takata, in order to make sure they provide a driving experience without parallel.
Adaptive steering describes technology that alters how much, or how little, the motorist needs to turn the steering wheel in order to produce an equivalent motion in the front wheels of the car. In traditional vehicles this ratio stays constant, whereas in those with adaptive steering it can be increased or decreased on the fly, depending on driving conditions.
At lower speeds, Ford's new system ensures the car is more easy to manoeuvre with a minimum of effort, making it exceptionally easy for the motorist to accomplish things like pulling into a tight parking space.
Meanwhile, when the vehicle is at full throttle, the technology tones down its response to the driver's actions behind the wheel, allowing for smoother, more precise input that makes the journey a genuine joy.
In Ford's implementation, the adaptive steering system hinges on a precision-controlled actuator placed inside the steering wheel itself. Using an electric motor and gears, this effectively takes the motorist's motions then either adds or subtracts torque depending on the circumstances.
"First and foremost, all Ford Motor Company products have to offer a great driving experience," commented Raj Nair, the manufacturer's vice president for Global Product Development. "This new steering technology can make any vehicle easier to manoeuvre and more fun to drive."