Nissan’s Steer-by-Wire System Brings Us Closer to Autonomous
Cars - 4:00 PM Nissan’s unveiled the world’s first fly-by-wire
steering system, completely eliminating the mechanical
connection between the wheel in your hands and the wheels on the
road. Although the automaker insists the system will enhance the
driving experience, it’s also a big step toward a fully
autonomous vehicle. Lots of automakers offer electrically
assisted power-steering systems, but Nissan’s “independent
control steering technology” — which could appear as early as
next year in Infiniti G-series models — takes the concept to its
logical extreme. It replaces the steering column with software
and motors to create a fully electric system. Beyond providing a
better driving experience, Nissan sees the technology improving
safety by allowing the car to take evasive action if, say, a
pedestrian steps in front of you. From there, it’s not hard to
imagine the technology being instrumental in developing truly
autonomous vehicles. The system is fa