Abstract: In the conventional vehicle control device, since a detection timing of turn is late, at the time of making the change of gear ratio based the detection timing, a sense of discomfort is brought to a driver. Moreover, steering wheel angle sensor, yaw rate sensor or lateral acceleration sensor is very expensive, resulting in the cost increase of the vehicle control devices. From information regarding a steering force that can be obtained from an electric power steering device, a turn intention of a driver is detected, and based the turning intention, the change of gear ratio is conducted.

Abstract: The present invention provides a steering control apparatus that controls steering of a vehicle of a steer-by-wire type, and includes steered-wheel motors that apply separate torques to right and left steered wheels respectively, a rod member that couples the right and left steered wheels so that the steered wheels can be steered, and a steering controller that controls driving of the steered-wheel motors. In each steered wheel, a center of the contact face thereof and a kingpin point thereof are offset in a lateral direction of the vehicle, and the steering controller controls driving of the steered-wheel motors so as to generate a torque difference between the right and left steered wheels, and provides a steering effort in accordance with this torque difference for each of the right and left steered wheels via the rod member, thereby to steer the vehicle.

Abstract: An axle pivot steering device (4) of a vehicle having first lever elements (8A—1, 8B—1), which are respectively operatively connected, via a second lever element (8A—2, 8B—2), with a wheel carrier (10A, 10B). The first lever elements (8A—1, 8B—1) and the second lever elements (8A—2, 8B—2) are connected with third lever elements (13A, 13B), in an articulated manner, at fixed rotational points (14A, 14B). At least two of the lever elements (8A—1, 8A—2, 13A) are designed to be fork-shaped and be inter-coupled, in an area of the rotational points (14A, 14B), by a bearing bolt (15) such that the bearing torques resulting from the bearing forces acting on the bearing bolt (15) are at least approximately zero.

Abstract: A motor vehicle having two front wheels and two rear wheels, a front driver's seat and a rear passenger seat disposed behind the driver's seat, and a steering mechanism including a steering handle connected to a pair of handle rods, a steering rod and a power multiplying device connecting the handle rods to the steering rod.

Abstract: An axle pivot steering device (4) of a vehicle having first lever elements (8A—1, 8B—1) respectively operatively connected via a second lever element (8A—2, 8B—2) with a wheel carrier (10A, 10B) and in the area of their connections with the second lever elements (8A—2, 8B—2) are each connected in an articulated manner via third lever elements (13A, 13B) with fixed rotational points (14A, 14B). At least two of the lever elements (8A—1, 8A—2), in the connecting area of the lever elements (8A—1, 8A—2, 13A) are designed fork-shaped and interspaced, the same as made by bearing points crossed by a bearing bolt (15) so that the bearing torques resulting from the bearing forces acting on the bearing bolt (15) are at least approximately zero.

Abstract: An electric power steering apparatus transmits a driving force of an electric motor to a steering mechanism for steering assist. The apparatus includes a torque sensor which detects a steering wheel torque; a basic assist characteristic determining section which determines a basic assist characteristic defining a basic characteristic of a motor driving target value for the steering torque; a motor driving target value determining section which determines the motor driving target value for the steering torque in accordance with a modified assist characteristic prepared by shifting the basic assist characteristic along a steering torque coordinate axis; a shift amount determining section which determines the amount of the shift from the basic assist characteristic to the modified assist characteristic on the basis of the steering torque; and a motor driving section which drives the electric motor on the basis of the motor driving target value.

Abstract: A vehicle steering system includes a rack and pinion mechanism having a pinion functionally coupled to a steering wheel and a rack meshing with the pinion and functionally coupled to steerable wheels and a mechanism for displacing the rack in the axial direction thereof to steer the steerable wheels independently of steering operation initiated by the steering wheel. The rack and pinion mechanism comprises a variable gear ratio rack and pinion mechanism having a variable gear ratio, which is the lowest when the steering wheel is in a neutral position and becomes higher as the steering angle of the steering wheel becomes large.