Abstract
Keywords - Steering System, energy conservation, increased functionality and comfort
Reduction of CO2 emissions is a megatrend all over the world. The EU Commission for example plans to reduce the CO2 emission of the European vehicle fleet to 120 g/km in the year 2012. Therefore fuel consumption is in the focus of car manufacturers again.
The tendency towards energy saving and, thus, towards reducing the CO2 emissions is conflicting with the demand for comfortable cars with high functionality and high power. The biggest challenge is in high-end cars, and involves both car manufacturers and suppliers.
Introducing the Electric Power Steering (EPS) combines the two conflicting demands of fuel saving and of increasing functionality and comfort. With the EPS fuel consumption is not only reduced by about 0.3 l/100km in specific drive cycles in comparison to standard hydraulic steering systems, but even more functionality is offered. For this reason EPS systems are on the roadmap of all major car manufacturers worldwide and development has been started to introduce the EPS into all passenger car classes from minicars to high-end cars.