​​Steer-by-Wire Becomes Reality in the New EQS​ 

When the new Mercedes-Benz EQS becomes available, it will offer a technology that has long been the dream of automotive engineers. The EQS will be the first vehicle from Germany to be available with steer-by-wire technology. Mercedes-Benz of Plano explains to you what this technology means and what it can do for you. 

Steer-by-wire (SbW) replaces the mechanical link between the steering wheel and the wheels with electronic signals, sensors, and actuators. A technology that has long been a part of advanced aircraft, it has been sought after by chassis engineers for its benefits of improved maneuverability, customizable steering ratios, increased interior space, reduced weight, the more direct integration of advanced driver-assistance systems like automatic parking and lane keeping systems, and the safety of removing the steering column. Steer-by-wire elevates the EQS driving experience and fundamentally transforms the interaction between the driver and the vehicle with precise, intuitive, and effortless steering. 

The system delivers a completely new steering feel, providing a unique experience and offering a wide range of advantages in everyday driving, improving driving dynamics, maneuverability, and parking. With steer-by-wire, the steering effort required from the driver can be further reduced, and the driver no longer needs to change their grip on the steering wheel when turning. 

Vibrations from uneven road surfaces, which are usually transmitted through the steering wheel, can now be eliminated. Yet the steering does not feel dead or disconnected. Instead, the feel remains precise and intuitive, maintaining the signature Mercedes-Benz steering experience. 

The system has accumulated over 621,000 test miles (1 million kilometers) of testing across test benches, test tracks, and a variety of real-world streets. The rigorous safety requirements from Mercedes-Benz dictated a completely redundant system architecture, along with high-precision sensors and robust control units. These two signal pathways ensure consistent steering capability. The highway stability and parking lot maneuverability of rear-wheel steering can be implemented with greater precision when combined with SbW.  

You might think this is a completely invisible system, but its presence is made clear by the differently shaped steering wheel. No longer will drivers have to reach around the steering wheel during turns. Simple rotations to the left and right will be all that is needed to make even the tightest turns. Thus, the top and bottom of the steering wheel are no longer needed. The SbW steering wheel eliminates the top of the wheel entirely while flattening the bottom. This results in nothing between you and the driver’s display, providing greater visibility, and it also leads to a completely redesigned driver airbag system.  

Mercedes-Benz knows that, despite its advantages, not everyone will feel comfortable with the SbW system, so it will be an option on the newest EQS, with the standard car retaining the conventional steering system. 

SbW is the latest innovation in Mercedes-Benz’s ongoing mission to produce the world’s most desirable cars. We invite you to contact one of the sales professionals at Mercedes-Benz of Plano to arrange for them to notify you when the first SbW-equipped EQS models arrive so that you can experience this system of the future firsthand.