Research Overview

Dubbed as the next big thing in the automotive industry, adaptive steering solutions failed to live up to the hype generated in the early part of this millennium. Launched in 2003, BMW’s adaptive steering solution was touted to be a game changer. Subsequent launches by other OEMs, particularly for rear-wheel steering (RWS) and four-wheel adaptive steering (4WAS), did not help the market gain traction.

However, since late 2015/early 2016, adaptive steering solutions have been making a comeback of sorts. OEMs such as Renault and Honda have reentered the market with adaptive RWS. Other manufacturers such as Audi, Cadillac, Porsche, and Ferrari have also started offering some form of adaptive RWS, while Ford has started to roll out adaptive front steering (AFS) in some of its top-selling models across Europe and North America.

As the automotive industry moves toward automated driving, certain segments are expected to witness a drastic shift in demand, deployment, and technology development. One such segment is steering. Adaptive steering, which has gained traction among premium-end vehicles, primarily, is expected to be affected by such developments. Although the short-term focus is on semi-automated vehicles, this offers a window of opportunity for steering technologies, especially for AFS, which will have to compete with developments in other technologies such as steer-by-wire.