Acura Precision All-Wheel Steering
Serving Clearwater, Tampa, Largo, St. Petersburg, Palm Harbor, FL
The desire to increase a car’s handling by allowing all of its four wheels to shift directions has been a goal of vehicle engineers for years. The inspiration behind precision steering dates back to World War II when the United States Army attempted to invent the technology. Firefighters have had access to this type of steering, but until recently, streamlining the advancement has eluded carmakers.
An Overview of Precision All-Wheel Steering
Acura manufactured its RLX sedan with the inclusion of precision all-wheel steering. According to the company, the system improves the car’s handling since it gives drivers the ability to steer the rear wheels. By embracing power steering and miniscule electronics, carmakers have been able to bring back the steering option.
Offering a Comparison
The chief engineer of the RLX is Yousuke Sekino. He is known for designing the suspensions of the 1986 Acura Legend and the NSX supercar from 1990. In talking about the technology, Mr. Sekino compared it to an Olympic slalom competitor’s skis since this type of skier can control them. To advertise the technology, Acura added the acronym “P-AWS” on the vehicle’s trunk. Some reviewers consider it a marketing tool to publicize the car’s catlike reaction time.
Reviewing the Details
To add precision steering to its new sedan, Acura’s engineers developed electric actuators. These are placed on each side of the vehicle’s rear suspension. With the actuators in place, the right and left rear wheels have the ability to steer independently of one another. It took the car company’s development team five years to create the system. Past versions that permitted this type of steering were heavy and expensive. Acura’s system increases a car’s weight by just 11 pounds.
While the car’s front wheels change direction in a wide sweeping motion, its back wheels turn just slightly. Specifically, the rear wheels shift two degrees from the center to the left or the right. The rear wheels also respond differently according to a driving situation. For instance, when a driver uses the brakes, the rear wheels shift inward slightly. This action increases the car’s forward stability. When the driver directs the car around a right-hand corner, the rear wheels shift a little to the left, which allows the car to turn faster. When the car turns around a left-hand corner, the wheels move slightly to the right to offer the same benefit.
In parking lots, drivers will especially appreciate the precision steering feature because it makes the car easier to navigate into tight parking spaces. When a driver takes the sedan to highway speeds, the system switches the rear wheel mode to operate in the same direction as the front wheels. This gives the driver more control when he or she is guiding the car across several lanes to reach an off-ramp. P-AWS also automatically deactivates when a driver is reversing the car to provide a consistently positive driving experience.
Making Cars Safer
In the ’80s, a few carmakers attempted to bring precision steering to the public. From 2002 to 2005, GMC even offered the advancement on its pickup trucks, but diminished sales resulted in carmakers avoiding the expensive feature. Acura has its eye on changing that by reintroducing precision steering in one it’s most popular sedans, the TLX, in an effort to stay at the forefront of the ever evolving automotive safety standards and features made possible with new technologies.
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