Volvo to offer electro-hydraulic steering assist in U.S. vehicles
Volvo Trucks provided a detailed overview of new product solutions, focused on vehicle connectivity, automation, and electromobility during the Volvo Technology Summit 2019, in Dublin, Virginia, this week.
One highlight of the event included the introduction of the Volvo Dynamic Steering (VDS) electro-hydraulic steering assist system.
VDS is designed to limit driver fatigue and stabilizes the steering wheel as the vehicle operator maneuvers over rough or uneven terrain while the vehicle is in motion.
“It is an active safety system with up to 9 foot-pounds of torque,” said Josh Dawson, lead test engineer, steering for Volvo Trucks North America. “It’s like another set of hands on the truck (steering wheel) to help stabilize the steering wheel.”
Features of the VDS include:
- A return to center, or zero return, functionality, allowing the steering wheel to return the wheel position to straight. This feature can be especially helpful in difficult-to-maneuver situations, or while in reverse backing the tractor-trailer.
- Dampening allows the system to filter out movement that is traditionally transferred from the road to the steering wheel.
- Lead/pull compensation allows the system to learn overtime the variables required to compensate the additional steering. This feature provides additional filtering out of road disturbances.
- Vehicle stability control provides increased vehicle control at high speeds, especially when operating on the highway.
The system adapts the steering sensitivity based on the speed of the vehicle. At lower speeds, the steering assist will essentially be looser, to allow for more slight movements at low speeds. Multiple sensors are connected to the system, designed to monitor and respond to the road situations accordingly.
“The motor is controlled at 2,000 times per second; it reacts before a driver can even react,” Dawson said. In the event the electrical motor does not work, the electrical motor on the VDS system The electrical motor on the VDS is connected to the existing steering gear, so if an issue occurs with the VDS system, the conventional steering will still operate as a fail safe.
First introduced to the European market in 2013, Volvo will begin taking orders in the fourth quarter of 2019, with planned production in April 2020. The VDS will be an optional specification on VNR and VNL truck models, which are designed for regional and long haul, respectively.
