A motor electric control unit (ECU) for an electromechanical power steering mechanism, which controls current through an electric assist motor in response to steering mechanism sensors' signals. The ECU may comprise at least two channels. Each channel has the steering mechanism sensors in a redundancy concept. At least one voter that is assigned to an actuator and is configured to vote on the correct steering mechanism sensors' outputs of the at least two channels. The steering mechanism sensors may include a steering column torque sensor and an RPS sensor for sensing a rotor angle of the electric assist motor. Each of the at least two channels may include processors that have different software to protect against systematic faults.

Described is a rotation limitation module for a steer-by-wire steering system. Said rotation limitation module comprises a housing in which a shaft portion that is rotatable about a central axis and is able to be rotatably coupled to a steering wheel shaft or is configured as a portion of the steering wheel shaft is received. Furthermore provided is a limiter disk which by way of a sliding guide is coupled in a rotationally fixed and axially displaceable manner to the shaft portion and has an external thread which is driven into an internal thread of the housing. Moreover, the rotation limitation module comprises a first detent ring having a first detent wing, and a second detent ring having a second detent wing, both detent wings for limiting a rotation of the shaft portion being able to cooperate with the limiter disk. A steering wheel module for a steer-by-wire steering system is also disclosed, which comprises such a rotation limitation module.

A sensor unit for a steering system, in particular a steer-by-wire steering system, includes a component to be monitored and having a multifunctional position sensor, which has at least one spring element and at least one piezoelectric sensor, which is associated with the spring element and is provided at a first end of the spring element. The spring element is associated with the component to be monitored via a second end opposite to the first end. A steering wheel subassembly, a rack subassembly and a steering system are furthermore described.

A motor control system shorts motor windings of a motor by using junction gate field-effect transistors (JFETs) controlled bipolar junction transistors (BJTs), solid state relays (SSRs) controlled BJTs, and depletion mode metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) so that the motor generates braking torque when all or some electric control units of the motor are disabled or failed. The motor control system comprises: a motor comprising a plurality of motor phase terminals; a plurality of electric control units electrically connected with the motor and configured to control the motor, wherein the electric control units are configured to output control signals, respectively; and a shorting circuit connected to between the motor and the electric control units, the shorting circuit configured to short the motor phase terminals in response to receiving none of the control signals from the electric control units. The shorting circuit is configured not to short the motor phase terminals when receiving at least one of the control signals from at least one of the electric control units.

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 vehicle steering system includes a clutch provided on a power transmission path extending from a steering wheel to steered wheels, a reactive-torque motor configured to apply a steering reactive torque to the steering wheel, a steering operation motor configured to steer the steered wheels, and a clutch engagement controller configured to engage the clutch when a steered angle of the steered wheels has reached a steered angle limit value and the steering wheel is rotated by an amount equal to or greater than a first prescribed value in a direction opposite to a direction toward a steering neutral position, with respect to a first steering angle that is a steering angle of the steering wheel at a time when the steered angle reaches the steered angle limit value, in a case where the clutch is in a disengaged state.

A motor control system shorts motor windings of a motor by using enhancement metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) so that the motor generates braking torque when all or some electric control units of the motor are disabled or failed. The motor control system comprises: a motor comprising a plurality of motor phase terminals; a plurality of electric control units electrically connected to the motor and configured to control the motor, wherein the electric control units configured to output control signals, respectively; a plurality of power sources, each of the power sources electrically connected to a respective one of the electric control units; and a shorting circuit connected between the power sources and the motor, the shorting circuit configured to selectively short the motor phase terminals in response to one or more of the control signals of the electric control units.

A motor vehicle steering wheel assembly may include a ring-shaped member comprising a slot and an internal recess, wherein the slot and internal recess extend circumferentially about the ring-shaped member, the slot being provided in a surface of the ring-shaped member and forming an aperture into the internal recess; a support portion configured to be coupled to a vehicle support structure, the support portion extending through the slot; and a guide portion coupled to the support portion, the guide portion being slidably disposed in the internal recess such that the ring-shaped member is rotatable.

According to the present embodiments, it is possible to enhance the driver's steering feel with a simplified structure, reduce components, save manufacturing and processing costs, and prevent overshoot to secure the driver's safety.

A vehicle control apparatus includes: a plurality of operation devices receive operations from an occupant; a plurality of driving devices operate a vehicle with operation quantities applied to the plurality of operation devices; and a control device controls the plurality of driving devices. The control device includes: first and second operating characteristics; and correction device. When the occupant operates the second operation devices during execution of operation of the first operation devices, the correction device corrects the second operating characteristics such that the second operation force at the second response start point is equivalent to the first operation force of the first operation devices obtained when the operation of the second operation devices is started.