Steering Toward Conservation

Terry Costlow, Contributing Editor -- Design News, May 12, 2008

Electric steering systems offer fuel efficiency advantages and reduced CO₂ emissions over hydraulic power steering systems that run nonstop. The compact Mazda 2's electric motors only respond when they're needed, saving pricey fuel. TRW Automotive provides software and plenty of hardware, including the electronic control unit, steering angle sensors and the column drive motor. Electric power steering systems communicate over the vehicle's CANbus, so data can be shared with other systems to improve overall driving comfort.

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