VW Switches To Electric Power Steering

PARIS--Delphi Automotive Systems’ E-STEER Electric Power Steering System will be available as an option on Volkswagen’s new 2001 Lupo 3L TDI arriving soon in the European marketplace.

The E-STEER all-electric, engine-independent design eliminates the traditional hydraulic power steering system’s pump, hoses, hydraulic fluid, drive belt and pulley on the engine, thereby reducing mass and increasing packaging flexibility, according to the company.

“We are pleased to be working with Volkswagen on electric power steering for the Lupo,” said Jean de Montlaur, managing director of Delphi’s steering division in Europe. “E-STEER’s sophisticated, fully-electric design will bring many benefits to Volkswagen’s customers including added fuel economy, added safety, improved acceleration and dependability.”

With fuel prices soaring, fuel economy could be considered the primary benefit of this system. According to the company, E-STEER helps improve a vehicle’s fuel economy by an average of 5 percent compared with a traditional hydraulic steering system. The VW Lupo, noted for its high fuel economy performance, gets approximately 3 liters (diesel) per 100 kilometers with the E-STEER system. The system’s mileage impact by vehicle type ranges from .2 liters per 100 kilometers (1.3 miles per gallon) improvement for subcompact vehicles to .16 liters per 100 kilometers (0.45 miles per gallon) improvement for mid- to large-size passenger vehicles. In fact, according to the company, the system’s fuel efficiency performance rivals that of a manual steering system.

On the environmental front, a system without any fluids means no leaks--so related warranty concerns can be significantly reduced. Additionally, all of the materials needed for the pump, reservoir, belts, hoses and fluid won't need to be used, disposed of, or recycled--making E-STEER more environmentally friendly, according to the company.

The system’s steering effort is correlated to vehicle speed, steering torque and steering position. Delphi’s advanced algorithms, or mathematical formulas, turn these vehicle inputs into world-class steering feel, according to the company.

“This totally electric steering system provides the same level of comfort and control that drivers throughout the world demand, while eliminating many of the trade-offs inherent in today’s hydraulic steering systems,” said Paul Tosch, Delphi Saginaw Steering Systems president and Delphi vice president.

According to de Montlaur, Some of the advanced features the system can actually help enhance the returnability characteristics of the steering with its assisted return-to-center feature. Assisted return-to-center allows the suspension designer more latitude in setting parameters--no longer does the designer have to make suspension trade-offs to achieve the necessary returnability characteristics.

“State-of-the-art electronics, including sensor and controller technologies, have dramatically improved our ability to enhance the performance of our steering systems,” said de Montlaur. “The expertise we have gained from engineering and manufacturing E-STEER will allow Delphi to aggressively move forward in the development of future electronics-based, integrated chassis systems.”

Delphi can be found on the Internet at www.delphiauto.com.