Abstract: A steering apparatus for a motor vehicle including a steering column and an electric power assist apparatus. The steering column includes a mast jacket, a steering shaft rotatably supported on the mast jacket, and a steering hand wheel on the steering shaft. The electric power assist apparatus includes a speed reducer on the mast jacket and an electric motor. A worm wheel of the speed reducer is rigidly connected to an output shaft of the speed reducer which, in turn, is connected to a steering gear of the motor vehicle. A worm gear of the speed reducer is driven by the electric motor and meshes with the worm wheel to transfer the torque of the electric motor to the speed reducer output shaft. A tubular reference shaft is rotatably supported on the speed reducer housing.