Embodiments discussed herein enable detection of traction steer using measured and expected values of steering system data, such as, for example and without limitation, motor current, motor torque, motor position, motor velocity, steering wheel angle, and steering column torque. In some embodiments, the measured steering system data is compared to expected signal values, based on vehicle operating conditions, to determine if the vehicle is experiencing a traction steer event. In some embodiments, using known relationships between two or more steering system signals, a traction steer event is identified if an unexpected relationship is determined.

The invention relates to a steering angle sensor for detecting a steering angle of a steering column over an angular range of more than 360 in a vehicle, comprisinga transmitter element for exciting a transmitter field and a measuring sensor for exciting an output signal dependent on a reception of the transmitter field, wherein the measuring sensor and the transmitter element are arranged such that the transmitter field received by the measuring sensor is dependent on the steering column rotational angle to be detected, anda counter element with a non-volatile storage unit for counting and outputting a number of revolutions of the transmitter field with respect to a reference rotational angle.

A steer-by-wire steering system for a vehicle includes: a reaction force actuator to which an operation member is connected such that the reaction force actuator is moved by the operation member, the reaction force actuator including a power source by which the reaction force actuator applies an operation reaction force to the operation member; a steering actuator to which a wheel is connected, the steering actuator including a power source by which the steering actuator steers the wheel; and a controller configured to control the reaction force actuator and the steering actuator. The controller is configured to execute, for the reaction force actuator, the steering actuator, or both the reaction force actuator and the steering actuator, a neutral position setting processing of setting a neutral position in a motion range and a motion position hold processing of holding a motion position at the neutral position by the power source.

A steering angle detecting apparatus includes a steering angle sensor and a diagnostic unit. The steering angle sensor includes two relative steering angle detectors and an absolute steering angle processor. The two relative steering angle detectors detect a plurality of two relative steering angles. The absolute steering angle processor calculates absolute steering angles. The diagnostic unit determines whether an angular signal indicating an absolute steering angle of the absolute steering angles is outputted from the absolute steering angle processor. The diagnostic unit stores a latest absolute steering angle, determines which of the two relative steering angle detectors outputs one of the two relative steering angles, and, where one of the two relative steering angle detectors is determined as outputting the one of the two relative steering angles, update the latest absolute steering angle by adding outputted one of the two relative steering angles to the stored latest absolute steering angle.

A method for calibrating a position of a feedback actuator of a steer-by-wire steering system of a road vehicle includes moving the feedback actuator to a first end stop of the feedback actuator and from there moving the feedback actuator to a second end stop, recording a position of the two end stops and based thereon determining a newly defined center position, moving the feedback actuator to the newly defined center position, and storing the newly defined center position in a memory as an offset value of an absolute steering wheel angle.

An apparatus for compensating a steering angle signal and motor angle signal of an MDPS system may include: a motor torque compensator configured to compensate for mechanical deformation; an angular speed compensator configured to compensate for a difference between a steering angle and a motor angle; a sensor characteristic compensator configured to compensate for a steering position error of the steering angle sensor; and a hysteresis compensator configured to compensate for a hysteresis characteristic of the MDPS system.

The present invention concerns a method for determining the position of a movable steering member (1, 2, 3) belonging to a steering mechanism (4) of a vehicle that comprises at least a first movable member (1), such as a shaft (1) of an assistance motor (M), and a second movable member (2), such as a rack (2), which cooperate with each other by means of at least one first link (L1), said method comprising a step (a) that involves measuring the position (1) of the first member (1), then a step (b) that involves calculating the instantaneous position (2) of the second member (2) from said position of the first member (1), and a correction step (d) during which the calculation of the position (2) of the second member (2) is adapted, taking into consideration the offset () in the position of the second member (2) that results from the elastic deformation of the first link (L1) under the force (C1) transmitted by the latter.

A method to operate a motor vehicle having a number of wheels is described. The method determines a steering angle for an automotive application. A steering angle is estimated using a yaw rate , a revolution rate of at least one wheel, a wheelbase L and a characteristic speed of the vehicle v.sub.ch based on a single-track model. Preferably, the steering angle is calculated using the yaw rate , the selected gear i, the wheelbase L, the speed v and the characteristic speed of the vehicle v.sub.ch according to the formula =[*i*L*(1+v.sup.2/v.sub.ch.sup.2)]/v. An application, such as adaptive light control during turns, that requires knowledge of the steering angle of the motor vehicle is carried out based on an estimated steering angle.

A system for detecting the absolute rotational angle of a shaft rotatable more than one revolution includes a drive wheel connected to the shaft to rotate therewith. The drive wheel includes measurement sectors adjacent to one another in a circumferential direction. First and second driven wheels are engaged to the drive wheel. First and second sensors monitor rotational positions of the driven wheels to thereby detect an absolute rotational angle of the shaft. A third sensor monitors a relative angular position of the shaft in relation to a detected one of the measurement sectors to thereby detect the relative angular position of the shaft within one revolution of the shaft. The detected absolute rotational angle of the shaft is refined with the detected relative angular position of the shaft to thereby generate the absolute rotational angle of the shaft with more precision.

This disclosure describes various embodiments for steering wheel recoupling for an autonomous vehicle. In an embodiment, a steering system is described. The steering system may comprise a steering wheel, wheels controlled by the steering wheel, and a wheel alignment control module. The wheel alignment control module may be configured to determine the steering wheel is decoupled from the steering system, determine a current angle of the wheels controlled by the steering wheel, activate an indicator, the indicator determined based, at least in part, upon the current angle, determine the steering wheel is positioned for recoupling, and recouple the steering wheel to the steering system.