An electric power steering apparatus that drives and controls a motor which applies an assist torque to a steering system of a vehicle and has a function switching between an assist mode and an automatic mode, including a torsion bar torsional angle calculating section to calculate a torsion bar torsional angle based on a torque information, an output-side column shaft relative angle generating section to output an output-side relative angle from an electrical angle signal of the motor, an actual handle angle calculating section to calculate an actual handle angle based on the torsion bar torsional angle and the output-side relative angle, a resonance filter to obtain an estimated handle angle in a hands-off state from the output-side relative angle, and a hands-on/off judging section to judge a hands-on state when a time that a deviation angle between the actual handle angle and the estimated handle angle is equal to or more than a predetermined angle is continued for the predetermined time or more.

A steering device includes: a steered shaft; a first nut; a second nut; a first motor; a second motor; a first power transmission portion that transmits a first drive force generated by the first motor to the first nut, converts the first drive force into a force in an axial direction, and biases the steered shaft in the axial direction; a second power transmission portion that transmits a second drive force generated by the second motor to the second nut, converts the second drive force into a force in the axial direction, and biases the steered shaft in the axial direction; a signal detection device that detects a first detection signal and a second detection signal with different periods; and a computation device that computes an absolute position of the steered shaft in the axial direction.

A steering control system includes a plurality of control circuits configured to control a reaction force motor and a turning motor in coordination with one another, the reaction force motor generating a steering reaction force applied to a steering wheel from which power transmission to turning wheels of a vehicle is cut off, the turning motor generating a turning force for turning the turning wheels. When at least one control circuit among the control circuits that are operating normally is reset, the reset control circuit is configured to execute a process for stopping travel of the vehicle upon restarting after completion of the reset.

A system and method for estimating the length of a trailer attached to a vehicle includes a processor and a sensor mounted to the vehicle and in communication with the processor. The sensor is configured to sense at least one target on the trailer and provide information to the processor regarding the location of the at least one target. The processor is configured to determine an estimate of the wheel based length (laa.sub.1) of the trailer by utilizing a wheel angle () of the vehicle, a hitch point (zk) of the vehicle, the first hitch angle (.sub.1), a wheel base (lza) of the vehicle, a distance (lzk) between the hitch point (zk) and a front axle of vehicle, and a lane radius (rza). The processor is configured to determine the length of a trailer attached to the vehicle by utilizing the wheel based length (laa.sub.1) of the trailer.

An assembly includes a motor having a shaft. The assembly includes a first gear operatively coupled to the shaft. The assembly includes a second gear operatively coupled to the shaft. The assembly includes a first magnet supported by the first gear. The assembly includes a second magnet supported by the second gear. The assembly includes a first sensor configured to detect the first magnet. The assembly includes a second sensor configured to detect the second magnet.

A vehicle has a rotation angle detecting section that detects, as a detection value, a rotation angle of each wheel assembly. A transmitter, which is provided in each wheel assembly, transmits transmission data including verification data, which is used by a receiver mounted on the vehicle to verify the identification information of the transmitter. The transmitter transmits the transmission data when the rotation angle of the wheel assembly is any of predetermined specific angles. At the performance of transmission at the specific angle, the transmitter changes data that is different from angular data indicating the rotation angle of the wheel assembly and is included in the transmission data in accordance with the specific angle. The receiver collects the detection values detected by the rotation angle detecting section upon reception of the transmission data. The receiver collects the detection values for each piece of the transmission data transmitted at the same specific angle based on a manner in which data included in the received transmission data is changed in accordance with the specific angle.

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.

Among other things, techniques are described for steering angle calibration. An autonomous vehicle receives a steering angle measurement and a yaw rate measurement, and estimates a steering angle offset using the steering angle measurement, the yaw rate measurement, and a wheel base of the autonomous vehicle. An estimated yaw rate is determined based on a yaw rate model, the steering angle measurement and the estimated steering angle offset. The yaw rate measurement and the estimated yaw rate are compared and an action is initiated on the autonomous vehicle in response to the comparing.

There is provided a control device for an electric power steering device, which determines an estimate of a steering angle instead of using an angle sensor when any abnormality is detected in the angle sensor to perform steering angle control using the determined estimate of the steering angle. When it is determined that the detected steering angle is normal based on a steering angle abnormality determination signal Flg_h, a steering angle calculating section 201 outputs a steering-wheel angle h as an actual steering angle r, while when it is determined that the detected steering angle is abnormal, the steering angle calculating section 201 determines and outputs an estimate r of an actual steering angle using a past value Zr of the actual steering angle under normal conditions, a motor relative angle m, and a relative twist angle of a torsion bar.

A vehicle steering system comprises: a motor assembly operably coupled to a steering rack, the motor assembly comprising a motor having a rotor and a motor position sensor configured to sense a rotor angle of the motor in a single-turn range; and a rotary-to-linear conversion mechanism operably coupled between the motor assembly and the steering rack, the rotary-to-linear conversion mechanism comprising a rotor operably coupled to the rotor of the motor. A processor calculates an absolute angular position of the pinion in a full-turn range of rotation of the pinion based on the sensed rotor angle of the motor and a pinion angle sensed by a pinion angle sensor in a single-turn range, or based on the sensed rotor angle of the motor and an angle of the rotor of the rotary-to-linear conversion mechanism sensed by an angular position sensor in the single-turn range.