Nexteer Automotive has officially announced the launch of a Rear-Wheel Steering (RWS) system, which is engineered for cost-effectiveness, lightweighting, durability, and seamless integration.
According to certain reports, the stated RWS had been optimized for enhanced maneuverability, stability, safety, and performance. Such a setup, like you can guess, should deliver a superior driving experience especially when steering heavier vehicles with long wheelbases, such as trucks, SUVs, and EVs.
More on that would reveal how the technology allows the rear wheels to turn up to 12 degrees in coordination with the front wheels, enhancing handling at both low and high speeds.
At lower speeds, RWS arrives on the scene bearing an ability to cut down on the turning radius for potentially challenging maneuvers, such as parking in tight spots, parallel parking, backup events, and hitching. Furthermore, the technology will scale up vehicle nimbleness during tight cornering and overall city driving.
On the other hand, at higher speeds, Nexteer’s latest brainchild can seamlessly enhance chassis responsiveness, vehicle stability and safety by improving control during sudden lane changes or evasive maneuvers. Not just that, it can also enhance driver comfort and reduce fatigue especially while towing and trailering.
Talk about the whole value proposition on a slightly deeper level, we begin from its cost effective and lightweight nature. You see, Nexteer’s RWS design can actively prioritize cost-effectiveness and lightweight design principles, thus helping OEMs quickly adopt RWS into vehicle platforms with minimal impact on fuel efficiency or EV range.
Almost an extension of that, there is the potential for reuse and integration. This translates to how Nexteer’s approach offers component and manufacturing process reuse with its industry-leading Rack-assist Electric Power Steering (REPS) systems, as well as easy integration with all vehicle types and potential to simplify rear axle designs.
For Steer-by-Wire (SbW) vehicles, RWS may also offer greater synergies, considering it can very well serve as an added redundancy layer to meet safety requirements.
Another detail worth a mention is rooted in the technology’s durable build. Here, customers can come expecting anti-rotation design which, on its part, minimizes friction, enhances strength, and supports long-term reliability.
Hold on, we still haven’t touched upon the technology’s bid to deploy industry-leading technology. Nexteer’s RWS will effectively bank upon a strategic mix of REPS solution, award-winning SbW, software, and vehicle integration expertise, along with its legacy as a pioneer of RWS-for-mass-production in the early 2000s for GM truck applications (Quadrasteer).
Rounding up highlights would be the new system’s synergies and compounding benefits. In the case of longer wheelbases/heavier loads, OEMs can combine RWS with Nexteer’s other steering/driveline solutions to compound driver benefits. Aiding that would be the company’s globally renowned stature in the context of providing motion control tailored for larger/heavier vehicle segments.
“Nexteer’s approach to Rear-Wheel Steering delivers a cost-effective, lightweight and easy-to-integrate solution for OEMs so they can differentiate their drivers’ experiences with enhanced maneuverability, stability and comfort across all vehicle types. RWS addresses a convergence of many trends including the growing demand for trucks and SUVs, varying shifts to EVs and growing cities with challenges of urban driving. We’re always anticipating market needs and innovating the next motion control solution to make future mobility safer, greener and more exciting,” said Robin Milavec, President, Chief Technology Officer, Chief Strategy Officer, and Executive Board Director at Nexteer Automotive.
Founded in 1906, Nexteer’s rise up the ranks stems from its innovative product and technology portfolio which includes electric and hydraulic power steering systems, steer-by-wire systems, steering columns and intermediate shafts, driveline systems, and wider software solutions. These products are currently focused on addressing control challenges across several different megatrends, including electrification, software/connectivity, ADAS/automated driving, and shared mobility.
The company’s excellence in what it does can also be gauged once you consider it is trusted by various heavyweights, such as BMW, Ford, General Motors, RNM, Stellantis, Toyota, Volkswagen, and more.
