Drive by Wire: Electric Steering?

The only automobile I can think of is the Quadrasteer. These use electric steer by wire on the rear axle.

There are some fork trucks and other industrial vehicles that use SbW.

Mazda three series (a few years back, at least)...off of the top of my head. It uses an electric/hydraulic hybrid.

I noticed that when standing next to a friend's car and heard the whirring.

Because all aircrafts that use this technology either a: Use astronomical cost multi-level-fail-safe control systems or b: Have ejection seats. S.M.

"And most modern military and commercial aircraft are fly by wire. If it's good enough for them, why not cars?"

Millions of dollars why.

Now, do you really want Earl down at Bubba's Bait Shop, Video Emporium and Car Repair trying to work on it?

OK, new tack. If we wanted to do it, how would we implement it? I'm thinking a servomotor to drive a rack&pinion. Would it be desirable to have some feedback to the steering wheel? But most power steering has little or no feel to it, so I'm not convinced this would be necessary.

Sonny, no new track!

#3, 4, and 5 answered the question in full. YOU can implement it any way you want to. But, I do not care to share space with you then. Simple mechanical steering and simple braking for me. I worked with computers my whole life long, to know how many ways they can fail, seize up, or simply lie to you.

Also I know the story of, and as far as I am able to, vouch for the story of a famed author replacing his own brakes due being cheap. He lost his family in a brake mishap shortly after, and still today does not know, and blames himself.

In some things - if you are sane - you do not want to muck around.

Electric power steering can be found on the Acura NSX (which was the first production car with this feature), the Honda S2000, Toyota Prius and Toyota RAV4, plus numerous GM models including 2004-2009 Chevrolet Malibu, 2005-2009 Chevrolet Cobalt & Equinox, 2006-2009 Chevrolet HHR, 2005-2009 Pontiac G6 (except the Convertible, GTP and 2007 GT models), 2006-2009 Pontiac Torrent, 2007-2009 Pontiac G5, 2002-2009 Saturn VUE, and 2003-2008 Saturn ION

Electric power steering and Steer by Wire have nothing to do with each other.

I think that's what I was thinking about the Mazda. You're right, two different concepts. Mazda does have a concept car with this feature but it is probably years from the real world.

I don't think it's that wild of a concept since radio controlled vehicles have been using it on Mars since 1997 (slightly lower speeds, though).

And all sizes of R/C models, including 1/4 scale sprint cars. Seems like we just scale it up to handle full size vehicles.

I believe the vehicles from GM use electric assisted power steering. Not electric alone.

Many heavy duty construction equipment designs use no mechanical linkage on the steering systems. (Think of the articulated trucks that just bend in the middle to turn, or front end loaders.) One fire truck manufacturer used rear steering that was designed to allow tighter maneuvering in tight traffic for long trucks. There was no mechanical connection because the system was able to be switched on and off. There have been reliability issues with some of them.