The Nio ET9 marks the start of series production of a electronically controlled steering solution: The new crossover from China is equipped with steer-by-wire technology from ZF.
Steer-by-Wire
Nio
Chinese manufacturer Nio has integrated ZF's steer-by-wire technology into the "SkyRide" chassis of its new top model, the Nio ET9. The electronic control is designed to make steering more precise and offer the driver more comfort. The SUV is based on Nio's NT 3.0 platform. The fully electronic control system offers a variable steering ratio. A lower ratio ensures better maneuverability at low speeds, as the maximum steering angle is reached with just 0.6 turns of the steering wheel. For stable straight-line driving, the transmission ratio is increased at higher speeds. Thanks to the mechanical decoupling from the front wheels, the NVH behavior should also improve.
In the steer-by-wire system from ZF, a mechatronic actuator is installed between the wheels. The control commands are sent from the steering wheel actuator in the cockpit, which is equipped with a corresponding rotational angle sensor system. The so-called "torque feedback unit" uses an electric drive to reproduce the natural steering feel and feedback from the road. The redundantly designed ZF system individually adjusts the steering ratio to optimize the translation of the steering wheel angle to the wheel angle at different driving speeds or in different driving situations. ZF and Nio have been working together in a strategic partnership since 2022.
This is a partly automated translation of this German article.
