Steer-by-wire Steering Gear

Using the RD8 Engineering Design Tool to evaluate and improve the design of steer-by-wire steering gear. Both the kinematics and tolerances were analyzed to maximize the potential of the unit.

Steer-by-wire systems remove the mechanical link between the steering wheel and the road wheels, enabling advanced driver assistance and autonomous features.
But this innovation introduces unfamiliar mechanical challenges. Without decades of field data to rely on, engineers face unknowns in force paths, tolerance behavior, and especially maximum load scenarios.

These systems are safety-critical and must perform flawlessly under every condition, such as curb-strike loads. When reliability cannot be guaranteed, OEMs add redundant backup systems, increasing weight, complexity, and introducing new potential failure modes.

RD8 addresses these risks in a steering gear right from the concept stage by mapping functional tolerance stacks and analyzing force paths under normal and overload conditions. Instead of relying on late-stage fixes, RD8 makes robustness measurable early, so critical risks are identified before they escalate.
This proactive approach minimizes unnecessary redundancy, reduces complexity, and ensures designs meet safety and performance targets without compromising development speed.