INTRODUCTION

Technologies in steering systems have been advancing

since hydraulic PS (power steering) for automobiles
started to be adopted in the 1950s. Steering systems that
support a function of turning are recently facing rapid
progress of electronic control in order to meet market
needs such as improvements of energy efficiency and
safety as well as comfort.
After 1980, an electronically controlled hydraulic PS,
hydraulic PS with motor-driven pump, and electric PS
have been developed and manufactured. Steering
technologies have improved remarkably when compared
with conventional hydraulic PS technologies[1]-[3].
The development of electric PS will continuously
make progress. However, there still remain various
issues such as adoption to heavier duty vehicles and
global mass-production. With a background like that,
saving energy of hydraulic PS is one of the main issues
from an environmental viewpoint.
INFLUENCE ON STEERING ENERGY
CONSUMPTION
Current hydraulic PS with constant flow accounts for
3% in the energy consumption of a car. Figure 1 shows
the breakdown of the energy loss. The largest energy
loss is the over flow loss of pump (1.4%), the second is
loss by system weight and efficiency loss from belt &
pulley (0.5% each), and the third is the over flow loss by
the flow control valve (0.3%).

Figure 1 Steering System Energy Consumption
In this system, wasteful energy is consumed when
driving straight or driving at high speed that do not
require steering operations because the engine-driven
hydraulic pump is constantly operating.
As a countermeasure for energy saving, we can
provide the following steering systems.
1) Hydraulic type PS with low-flow high-pressure
pump
2) Hydraulic-electric type power steering (H-EPS)
3) Electric power steering (EPS)
Figure 2 shows the ratio of energy consumption of
these steering systems.
P6 workload
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TECHNICAL TRENDS IN STEERING SYSTEMS
Hiroyuki MIYAZAKI
Engineering Planning Department
JTEKT Corporation
333, Toichi-cho, Kashihara, Nara 634-8555 Japan
(E-mail: hiroyuki_miyazaki@jtekt.co.jp)
ABSTRACT
Automotive steering systems have gone through the transitions from non-assisted type to hydraulic-assist type,
and then, to electric-assist type for its assist. Still, some issues are remaining to adopt the electric-assist type
steering to heavier duty vehicles. Therefore, we are depending more on the technology of electrically controlled
hydraulic power steering.
This paper covers the technical trends in regard to power steering (PS) energy saving, especially focuses on
electronic control of hydraulic PS.
KEY WORDS
Electric Steering, Hydraulic Steering, Energy Saving

Proceedings of the 7th JFPS International

Symposium on Fluid Power, TOYAMA 2008
September 15-18, 2008
OS6-1
Copyright 2008 by JFPS, ISBN 4-931070-07-X
Figure 2 Energy Consumption Comparisons by
Power Steering System

DEVELOPMENT TRENDS AND ISSUES OF
ELECTRIC PS
Since electric power steering (EPS) was first adopted
to mini-sized vehicles in 1988, the output power of EPS
has been improved. And now it covers from passenger
cars to SUV. The number of vehicles with EPS will
increase year after year. The EPS is expected to take 40%
of the steering market in 2010. (See Figure 3 and 4.)
There are three types of EPS depending on where the
motor assist power is supplied (column-assist type,
pinion-assist type and rack-assist type). Figure 5 shows
a widely used column-type EPS[4].
Figure 3
Figure 3 Steering System and Vehicle Segment
Figure 4 Steering Type Transition
Figure 5 Column Type Electric PS
The steering market will accelerate the shift to EPS for
improvement of environment and safety. However, we
still depend more on hydraulic PS.
The EPS has issues such as packaging, high power,
steering feeling, cost, global supply and so on. When
high power specifications are required, not all EPS can
be installed. It depends on the motor size. The maximum
output of EPS is limited by the mechanical strength of
the structure. Therefore, it cannot cover all current
hydraulic PS range. Regarding steering feeling, drivers
have been familiar with the steering feeling of hydraulic
PS for a few decades since it was released. Smooth and
comfortable steering feeling was realized through fuzzy
media, called hydraulic pressure, between a steering
wheel and tires. Although the steering feeling of EPS has
been improved and getting close to that of hydraulic PS
thanks to advancements in electronic controlled
technologies, we can say that it is not easy to receive
benefit from hydraulic damping effect.
ENERGY SAVING TECHNOLOGY OF
HYDRAILIC PS SYSTM
As mentioned above, we are depending more on
hydraulic PS. Our energy-saving technologies with some
examples are introduced.
1) Hydraulic type PS with low-flow high-pressure
pump
As shown in Figure 6, the PS is in unloaded condition
(non-steer) for most of the driving time (80 to 90%).
Therefore, it is effective to reduce the energy loss. The
equation below (1) is a pump consumption torque
formula, based on the experiment. The consumption
torque of PS pump can reduce its internal pump pressure
by reducing the flow in non-steering conditions.
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R
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(
%
)
NPS Energy-
saver pump
(Actual
measurement)
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16OOO
18OOO
2OOOO
O 1OOO 2OOO 3OOO 4OOO 6OOO 6OOO
Hydraulic PS(HPS)
Electric PS(EPS)
A/B A/B C C
Small truck Small truck D/E D/E
SUV SUV
Link between gross vehicle mass and rack force
R
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N
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Gross Vehicle Mass'kg)
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EPS
HPS
Motor Motor
Reducer Reducer
Manual Steering Gear Manual Steering Gear
Intermediate shaft Intermediate shaft
ECU ECU
Torque sensor Torque sensor
Column Column
Copyright 2008 by JFPS, ISBN 4-931070-07-X
Figure 6 Steering Condition and Pump Pressure

The external outline of a Variable Flow Control pump
is shown in Figure 7. It has a structure to receive
signals of vehicle speed and steering angle into the ECU,
and go through the compact electromagnetic valve to
provide appropriate amount of flow into the pump.
Figure 7 VFC Pump Outline
Figure 8 VFC Pump Control Methods
Figure 8 shows a relation between vehicle speed and
PS pump flow. It provides comfortable and safe steering
operations by reducing the flow in non-steering
conditions, and by increasing the flow when driving at
high speed or when turning the steering wheel fast.
2) Hydraulic-electric type power steering (H-EPS)
H-EPS is an energy-saving PS, which does not have a
pump driven by engine but has an electric pump. The
system structure is shown in Figure 9. A pressure
balanced gear pump (see Figure 10) has an advantage
over a commonly used vane pump in efficiency[5]. It
has a feature to rotate the motor appropriately based on
the signals of vehicle speed and steering angle. Figure 11
shows the hydraulic control diagram.

Figure 10
Figure 9 Hydraulic-Electric PS Outlines

Figure 10 Gear Pump for H-EPS
Figure 11 Hydraulic Diagrams of H-EPS
O
Steer
Non-Steer(Straight or Stop)
No Load'=Non-Steering Condition):
8090
Time [sec]
P
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P
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p

p
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ECU
CAN
Other CAN information
'Water temp,
Engine speed,etc.)
Electro-magnetic Valve
Steering Angle
Pump
Steering torque Low High
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p
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Steering Torque Characteristic
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Vehicle speed
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Low High
1rad/s
Non-Steering
Steering
Normal
Torque Range
A
Variable
A
STEERING GEAR ASSY STEERING GEAR ASSY
ANGLE SENSOR
VALVE
MOTOR with ECU
PUMP ASSY
HOSE ASSY HOSE ASSY
POWER PACK ASSY POWER PACK ASSY
POWER
Steering speed signal
Vehicle speed signal
Hydraulic diagram
Speed Sensor
VLH
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Cf,Cd
To
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:Pump |oLeroal Preccure
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Vth
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Pressure term Speed/Temperature Term Fixed term
Copyright 2008 by JFPS, ISBN 4-931070-07-X
Figure 12 shows a relation between steering velocity
and motor rotational speed. It provides comfortable and
safe steering operations by reducing the motor rotation in
non-steering conditions, and by increasing the rotation
when driving at high speed or when turning the steering
wheel fast.
Figure 12 Control Map of H-EPS
The following is a control approach; stand-by type and
stop-and-go type[6].
<Stand-by type control>
The simplified low cost controller, without using an
external sensor, controls the electric pump efficiently to
prevent loss of extra energy. As shown in Figure 12, it
puts the motor into low rotation when driving straight or
making a stop and into high-speed rotation when power
assist is needed.
<Stop-and-go type control>
By controlling the motor with a torque sensor or a
steering angle sensor, it stops the rotation of motor while
driving straight or making a stop to save energy.
SUMMARY
The steering systems are shifting from hydraulic type
to electric type. However, hydraulic PS is a system
expected to maintain its market share over 50% even
after 2010. Considering the prospects of the market,
hydraulic PS combined with electric control technologies
that contribute to energy saving is an important
technology to support the motorized society. It is
expected to bring out the best of the hydraulic PS more
and develop the technologies to make further
contribution to the world.
REFERENCES
1. M.Noguchi, Trends and future views on steering
system technology, Koyo Engineering Journal
No.159(2001), pp.39-43 (in Japanese)
2. T.Taniguchi, Transition, trends and future prospects
of steering technology, Automotive Technology,
Vol.59, No.1(2005), pp63-68) (in Japanese)
3. Automotive technology 2006, JSAE, pp.63-65
4. JTEKT Engineering Journal No.1001(2006),
pp.127-128 (in Japanese)
5. H.Jounokuchi, Technical trends of hydraulic-electric
power steering system, Koyo Engineering Journal
No.166(2004), pp13-18 (in Japanese)
6. A.Matsuda, Development of new energy saving
power steering devices, Koyo Engineering Journal
No.153(1998), pp.27-32 (in Japanese)
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Copyright 2008 by JFPS, ISBN 4-931070-07-X