step s 4 the amplitude of the torque sensor whose neutral point was compensated for at step s 3 is compensated based on a gain compensation value that is similarly stored in the eeprom 74 these steps enable compensation of a slip in the neutral point or a slip in the gain in the detected torque as compared against the actual torque of the torque detecting unit 34 as shown in fig3 for example the torque detection value obtained as described above is phase compensated at step s 5 this increases the stability of a torque control system and improves steering feeling the phase compensation has phase lead and phase lag characteristics such as shown in fig4 for example next at step s 6 a direction of the steering torque is distinguished at step s 6 as shown in fig5 based on the steering torque signal that was phase compensated at step s 5 and then this is outputted to the i o port 77 in fig5 reference symbol r 1 is a first right direction drive permission signal to the right direction and reference symbol l 1 is a first left direction drive permission signal at the i o port 77 a level h represents drive permission and a level l represents drive prohibition as shown in fig1 a logical circuit 9 takes logical products of a second right direction actuator drive permission signal r 2 and a second left direction drive permission signal l 2 which are outputted from the second microcontroller 8 and of the first right direction drive.