A driver assistance system for a vehicle includes a steering assistance system for autonomously generating steering commands, a first actuating drive for adjusting a steering angle on a steerable wheel of the vehicle corresponding to the steering commands and a steering wheel that is rotatable coupled to the steering angle by a second actuating drive. The steering assistance system actuates the second actuating drive in order to favor a low-frequency component of a frequency spectrum of changes of the steering angle in the rotation of the steering wheel than a high-frequency component of the frequency spectrum.

A system for detecting hands-on or off of a steering wheel and a method thereof, include a direct sensor configured for detecting a hands-on sense value depending on a grip area of the steering wheel; an indirect sensor configured for detecting a hands-on sense value depending on a magnitude of a torque for rotating the steering wheel; and a controller connected to the first sensor and the second sensor and combining a direct hands-on sense value detected by the direct sensor and an indirect hands-on sense value detected by the indirect sensor to each other to determine a grip state of the steering wheel depending on a combined hands-on sense condition, and then to display and warn a result of determining the grip state of the steering wheel through an output unit.

An eddy current brake for a steer-by-wire steering system of a vehicle that includes a steering wheel may include magnets and a magnet carrier. The eddy current brake may be connected in a force-transmitting manner to an axle to which the steering wheel is connected, and to the steering wheel, in a force-transmitting manner.

A steer-by-wire assembly for a steering system in a vehicle is disclosed. The assembly includes a first shaft rotatable in response to a steering input, a second shaft adapted to rotate in response to rotation of the first shaft, a first gear (with a sensed element) that rotates in response to rotation of the first shaft, a second gear (with a sensed element) that rotates in response to rotation of the second shaft, a first sensing element adapted to sense the element carried by the first gear and provide an output associated with an angular position of the first gear, and a second sensing element adapted to sense the element carried by the second gear and provide an output associated with an angular position of the second gear. When the second shaft rotates relative to the first shaft, the outputs provide position and torque data associated with the steering input.

A steer-by-wire steering system for a vehicle comprises: a rotatable steering shaft; a driver-operated steering input member connected to the steering shaft; and first and second torque feedback motors having output shafts connected to the steering shaft and each being operable to apply either a feedback torque or an offset torque to the steering shaft. The system further comprises: an angular position measuring arrangement for measuring the angular position of the steering shaft; an angular acceleration determination arrangement for determining the angular acceleration of the steering shaft; an envelope determination arrangement for establishing or determining an envelope of the measured or calculated angular acceleration of the steering shaft; a magnitude determination arrangement for determining the magnitude of the offset torque to be applied by the motors as a function of the envelope of the angular acceleration of the steering shaft, as modified by a scaling factor whereby a maximum defined offset torque is applied at a maximum defined amplitude and angular acceleration of the steering shaft.

An article of manufacture for providing a digital automobile steering wheel according to the present invention includes a rotating steering wheel for providing directional for directing a vehicle when in motion, a video display device coupled to a center of the rotating steering wheel configured to be visible to a driver when operating the rotating steering wheel, a camera for obtaining an image of a face of the driver, a fingerprint scanner for obtaining a fingerprint scan of a finger of the driver, and an iris scanner for obtaining an iris scan of an eye of the driver. The digital automobile steering wheel also uses a set of control electronics and processing components, a position communications device for providing a current position of the steering wheel, and a user interface port coupled to one or more steering wheel user input/output devices for receiving input from the driver.

Disclosed are an apparatus and a method for controlling an operation of a reaction force motor. An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides an apparatus for controlling an operation of a reaction force motor, which is included in a system for providing a reaction force by using the reaction force motor and an elastic member which is deformed by a rotation of a steering wheel in a direction of a rotation axis of the steering wheel, the apparatus including: a first motor control unit connected to a first winding part of the reaction force motor; and a second motor control unit connected to a second winding part of the reaction force motor, in which the first and second motor control units control turning-on or turning-off of switches included therein so that the reaction force motor generates braking torque corresponding to reaction force torque provided by the elastic member, a steering angle of the steering wheel, and steering torque of the steering wheel.

A production method of a ball screw device is provided. The ball screw device includes a ball screw portion, a ball nut, rolling balls, and a retainer. The production method of the ball screw device includes: a first preparation step of preparing a nut subassembly as a standard product; a second preparation step of preparing the ball screw portion in plurality by types as ranked products; a measuring step of measuring a relative displacement in a thrust direction between the standard product and each ranked product; a determination step of determining whether the displacement meets a displacement specification; a replacing step of, if the displacement does not meet the specification, replacing the ranked product with another ranked product; and an assembling step of, if the displacement meets the specification, assembling the standard product and the ranked product into the ball screw device.

A stop-start control system for a vehicle includes a camera disposed at the vehicle and having a field of view exterior and forward of the vehicle. A control includes an image processor operable to process image data captured by the camera. Responsive to image processing of captured image data, the control determines the presence of a stopping area ahead of the vehicle and being approached by the vehicle. Responsive to determination of the presence of the stopping area ahead of the vehicle and being approached by the vehicle, and responsive to determination that the driver of the vehicle releases the accelerator pedal of the vehicle so the vehicle is coasting toward the determined stopping area, the control causes the engine to at least partially shut off.

A stop-start control system for a vehicle includes a camera disposed at the vehicle and having a field of view exterior and forward of the vehicle. A control includes an image processor operable to process image data captured by the camera. Responsive to image processing of captured image data, the control determines the presence of a stopping area ahead of the vehicle and being approached by the vehicle. Responsive to determination of the presence of the stopping area ahead of the vehicle and being approached by the vehicle, and responsive to determination that the driver of the vehicle releases the accelerator pedal of the vehicle so the vehicle is coasting toward the determined stopping area, the control causes the engine to at least partially shut off.