Integral Steering System

Also known as four-wheel steering (4WS) or all-wheel steering (AWS), integral steering is a technology featured
only on some vehicles that improves maneuverability and stability while driving at both low and high speeds. In a
system of this kind, all four wheels turn at the same time when the driver steers. However, the rear wheels cannot
turn as far as the front wheels.

In some cases, the vehicles are fitted with controls that switch off the rear steer and option to steer only the rear
wheels independent of the front wheels.

A computer is used to control the rear wheels and determines how much and in which direction the rear wheels
should move, and whether the rear wheels should turn in the same direction as the front wheels or in the opposite
direction. The movement varies up to a couple of inches. At slow speeds, the rear wheels move the opposite
direction of the front wheels. This makes for easier parking and maneuvering.

The integral system which varies the steering angle of the rear wheels increases
safety, stability and comfort to particularly benefit rear-seat passengers. At higher
speeds the system ensures extremely comfortable and superior response on the
road when changing lanes and in bends. At low speeds the car's turning circle is
decreased to enhance performance. In addition to the enhancement of stability in
quick direction changes, it also ensures better
handling in brake maneuvers.
Mercedes-Benz 170 VL / W139
Most four wheel steering systems can control the
rear wheels in two ways. At slow speeds, the rear wheels are turned in the opposite
direction of the front wheels, while at higher speeds the rear wheels are turned in
the same direction as the front wheels. This will make it easier for lane changing.

Daimler-Benz had already developed four-wheel drive, four-wheel steering vehicles

for the Forest Service in the 1930s. Their rear wheels were designed to turn in the The 1987 Prelude, featuring
opposite direction to the front wheels so that the vehicle could make sharp turns the world's first steering angle
along narrow mountain roads. However, two of this system's pioneers were sensing 4WS
Honda’s Prelude line and GM’s Delphi Quadrasteer. Only a few manufacturers then
used active four wheel steering in some of their vehicles, such as Infiniti, BMW, Mazda, Nissan and Toyota.

Today, BMW, Infiniti (in their G and M cars) and Renault (on the Laguna) are the
ones that make use of this technology. Let’s take, for example, BMW’s Integral
Active Steering featured on the 7 Series and 5 Series. Under 60 km/h, the front and
rear wheels steer in opposing directions to reduce the turning circle and ensure
every bend is taken with precision. Above 80 km/h the front and rear wheels turn in
the same direction to ensure an extremely comfortable and superior response on
the road when changing lanes.

Sierra Denali with Quadra Similarly, the Active Drive chassis with four-wheel steering on the Renault Laguna
steer GT works like this: At speeds of less than 60 km/h, the rear wheels turn in the
opposite direction to the front wheels, up to an angle of 3.5°. This brings two
advantages: a smaller turning circle, for easy maneuvering; and smaller steering
wheel angles thanks
to the more direct, specially calibrated steering. With four-wheel steering on the
Active Drive chassis, Renault Laguna GT has a 10 per cent smaller turning circle than
with two-wheel steering: 10.80 metres (with 18-inch tires) instead of 12.05m.
With front wheels and rear wheels turning in opposite directions, the car effectively
pivots, which means smaller steering angles are needed for the same turning effect.
Integral steering photo
Whereas it takes a 16° steering wheel angle to produce a 1° turn in the front wheels
on New Laguna, it takes just 13.5° with the Active Drive chassis. And this drops to 12° when the rear wheels are
turned at the maximum 3.5° angle in the opposite direction to the front wheels.

Finally, the electronic control unit on the 4-Wheel Active Steer system (4WAS) from Infiniti calculates the desired
vehicle dynamics from a series of sensors, including vehicle speed and steering angle, and directs the system actuator
to change rear geometry by moving both rear suspension lower links

Abstract:
The new steering system based on the successfully introduced and awarded Active-Steering supplemented by an all new
Integral-Rear-Axle-Steering system. Only the combination of both active steering systems enables totally new degrees of
freedom for a perfect chassis application; with the result of an optimal driving performance without any compromise.

Technology:
The Active-Steering consists of a hydraulic assisted rack-and-pinion steering system with an integrated planetary gear (still
introduced within the BMW products 1-, 3-, 5-, 6-series and X5). The Active-Steering varies the steering ratio on the front
wheels depending on the vehicle velocity. In this way the steering effort will be significantly reduced and applicated to a
perfect driving performance.
Additionally the system stabilizes the car in critical situations for example during oversteer or braking on different friction
levels. The new Integral-Rear-Axle-Steering is based on newly developed mechatronic actuator which operates directly on the
wheel carrier and therefore on the rear wheels.
By using a jackscrew actuator as well as a concentric electric motor, steering angles up top 3 degrees on the rear wheels are
possible. In contrast to the Active-Steering, the Integral-Rear-Axle-Steering not only improves the steering effort but also has a
positive impact on the driving characteristics.These effects are measurable by yaw rates, lateral accelerations and attitude
angle. The functional logic is implemented within a superordinated function unit, the BMW Integrated-Chassis-Management.
The target requirements are transferred as steering angles via Flexray to the actuator ECU’s and then to the actuators on front
and rear wheels. The base for the safety concept is derived from the experiences with the Active-Steering development.
Customer Benefits:
Within the lower velocities, the Integral-Rear-axle-steering steers the
rear wheels in the opposite direction to the front wheels. This leads
to a significant enhancement of agility and dynamic.
During the higher velocities the rear wheels steer in the same
direction to the front wheels. The result is a phase-identical
transverse force and lead to a considerable enhancement of driving
dynamics, particularly for stability; driving behavior by steering input
and reduced roll angles. In summary, the customer gets a more
sovereign driving performance.
The principle behind rear axle steering systems in combination with
conventional steering is that they have the disadvantage of an
understeer tendency. Furthermore, the steering effort at a higher
velocity increases with the result of an inert driving performance
resulting in reduced curve willingness.
Only the combination of the Integral-Rear-Axle-Steering and the Active-Steering enables the compensation of the above
mentioned disadvantages.
The additional degrees of freedom enable a perfect application for every driving situation. For example, when driving at a high
speed: the additional stability produced by the Integral-Rear-axle steering is overlapped by a more direct steering ratio due to
Active-Steering. Therefore, the increased steering effort is reduced, the curve willingness enhanced.

Moreover active control interferences on the steering systems, understeer and oversteer, are able to stabilise the car
significantly. The control functions from the braking control system DSC are significantly reduced. Additionally, Integral-Active-
Steering increases the active safety too. The Integral-Active-Steering is a meaningful extension of the Active-Steering by the
Integral-Rear-Axle-Steering. In combination with the Integrated-Chassis-Management, the new system has lead to a precise
steering behaviour without any compromise in every driving situation.
BMW's Active Steering
To be debuted on future BMW models, ActiveSteering is a unique new
system. It provides graduated steering assistance and intervention,
dependent on road speed, which can reduce the number of turns of
the steering wheel on a 5 Series from three turns lock to lock to just
under two. The result is go kart steering response and directness with
none of the jittery over-sensitivity of a race car steering set up. In fact,
BMW Active Steering combines that direct response with perfect high-
speed tracking.

BMW's ActiveSteering still incorporates a mechanical steering

column permanently connecting the steering wheel with the
front wheels of the car. This not only guarantees full
maintenance of all steering functions even if one of the assistance systems is not operating properly or breaks
down altogether, but - according to BMW - is also the prerequisite for the authentic steering 'feel'. By contrast,
a steer-by-wire system alone is unable to simulate such realistic feedback to the driver.

The core element of the revolutionary ActiveSteering system is the steering override function provided by a
planetary gearbox integrated in the split steering column. Acting through a self-inhibiting gear wheel, an
electric motor intervenes as required in this planetary gearbox, either increasing or taking back the steering
angle of the front wheels. A further component is the individually controlled power steering (similar to BMW
Servotronic) controlling steering forces as required. These two components adjust the steering angle of the
front wheels and the steering forces on the steering wheel to the respective situation on the road and the
driver's requirements.

Under normal driving conditions, ActiveSteering varies the

steering transmission particularly at low and medium speeds,
making the car more agile and nimble in its behaviour. In
critical situations ActiveSteering serves to change the steering
angles of the wheels, thus stabilising the car faster and more
efficiently than the driver would be able to. This response
offers dynamic driving advantages.When driving at very low
speeds, for example when parking in town, the driver only has
to turn the steering wheel twice thanks to a direct steering
ratio in order to manoeuvre the car into the most confined
parking space.

At higher speeds, for example on the Autobahn, the

steering transmission ratio becomes increasingly
indirect up to the level of conventional steering (or even beyond). The level of steering forces increases at the
same time, preventing any undesired and unwanted movement of the steering.Whenever driving stability is
limited, for example on wet or slippery roads or in crosswinds, ActiveSteering quickly intervenes and
improves driving stability so significantly that BMW's DSC Dynamic Stability Control only has to intervene
where really necessary. This is also the case when applying the brakes on surfaces varying in grip (for example
with the right-hand wheels running on dry asphalt offering good and secure grip, while the wheels on the left
are running on a loose embankment or road shoulder) or when suddenly changing direction, for example to
steer clear of an animal or an obstacle.