Infiniti World Takeover continues with steer-by-wire

[Laconian]

http://www.theverge.com/2012/10/17/3515844/nissan-first-steer-by-wire-mass-produced-automobiles-next-year

"According to Reuters, Nissan has announced plans to introduce a new "steer-by-wire" system in its Infiniti line of automobiles by the next model year. This will be the first time that a steer-by-wire system will be available in a mass produced automobile..."

[Raza]

Sounds awful. 

[280Z Turbo]

The end is near.

[CJ]

No.

[cawimmer430]

SUCK ON THAT, BMW! INFINITI ALL THE WAY!!! YEAH! YEAH!

[SVT666]

Steer by wire?  Fuck that shit.  Infiniti has some of the best steering I've ever driven and they're going to fuck with it? 

Oh.  So if my alternator packs it in while I'm driving down the road, do I lose steering ability? 

[GoCougs]

YES. Not long ago "they" said that fly-by-wire was a disaster for all sorts of reasons. It wasn't as it was more reliable, easier to maintain and was higher performance.

[SVT666]

YES. Not long ago "they" said that fly-by-wire was a disaster for all sorts of reasons. It wasn't as it was more reliable, easier to maintain and was higher performance.

I can see it in a plane, but not in a car.  Steering feel will be absolutely zero.  With no mechanical connection to the wheels you fuck up everything.

[hotrodalex]

No thanks.

[hotrodalex]

I can see it in a plane, but not in a car.  Steering feel will be absolutely zero.  With no mechanical connection to the wheels you fuck up everything.

It's like using a racing wheel on GT5 or Forza. It's a lot harder to stay on line in those games than in real life.

[GoCougs]

I can see it in a plane, but not in a car.  Steering feel will be absolutely zero.  With no mechanical connection to the wheels you fuck up everything.

Steering feel will be zero only if Nissan wants it to be so. The closed loop electronic feedback system used to control the mechanical system will also give feedback into the mechanical system. How much and the exact feel of feedback Nissan will allow to be transmitted to the driver is TBD but if Nissan wants it to happen it will happen. Such a system also allows for near infinite variability on steering ratio which will be a boon to both performance and feel.

[SVT666]

Steering feel will be zero only if Nissan wants it to be so. The closed loop electronic feedback system used to control the mechanical system will also give feedback into the mechanical system. How much and the exact feel of feedback Nissan will allow to be transmitted to the driver is TBD but if Nissan wants it to happen it will happen. Such a system also allows for near infinite variability on steering ratio which will be a boon to both performance and feel.

Fake steering feel /= steering feel

[sportyaccordy]

Steer by wire?  Fuck that shit.  Infiniti has some of the best steering I've ever driven and they're going to fuck with it? 

Oh.  So if my alternator packs it in while I'm driving down the road, do I lose steering ability? 

When is the last time an alternator "packed it in" while you were driving? There is probably an equal possibility of your PS pump "packing it in", w/potentially more dangerous implications.

People had the same damn freakouts when DBW throttles, ABS and ESC came out, and lo and behold, many of those very same folks are driving cars equipped with all that shit and enjoying the HELL out of them. This knee jerk boy cried wolf reaction w/every new automotive safety tech is getting so damn tired.

[sportyaccordy]

I forget what arcade game it was but it was old as hell. Had a steering wheel that you had to damn near wrestle sometimes, the feedback was so strong. I am sure they will be able to calibrate the hell out of it in an actual car.

[CJ]

Was it that Ferrari game?  That game rocked.

[Eye of the Tiger]

I forget what arcade game it was but it was old as hell. Had a steering wheel that you had to damn near wrestle sometimes, the feedback was so strong. I am sure they will be able to calibrate the hell out of it in an actual car.

Hard Drivin' by Atari. My favourite arcade game ever. It's how I learned to drive stick.

[SVT666]

When is the last time an alternator "packed it in" while you were driving? There is probably an equal possibility of your PS pump "packing it in", w/potentially more dangerous implications.

3 years ago.  The one and only time I have ever had an alternator pack it in was while I was doing 50 mph down the highway.

People had the same damn freakouts when DBW throttles, ABS and ESC came out, and lo and behold, many of those very same folks are driving cars equipped with all that shit and enjoying the HELL out of them. This knee jerk boy cried wolf reaction w/every new automotive safety tech is getting so damn tired.

Not even close to the same thing.  DBW throttles and ABS don't take away feel and I never opposed them.  ABS is technology I rather like.  The reason steering feel is so good in the Infiniti G and other performance cars is because of the mechanical connection.  No steer by wire is going to be able to allow you to feel the different road surface textures and road imperfections.  It's going to suck.  That's my prediction.

[Secret Chimp]

I forget what arcade game it was but it was old as hell. Had a steering wheel that you had to damn near wrestle sometimes, the feedback was so strong. I am sure they will be able to calibrate the hell out of it in an actual car.

I think that was a Ferrari F40 game or something. You could go around a loop-de-loop or something? I felt like the tuffmaster playing that thing.

[Rich]

this one?

[Eye of the Tiger]

That is definitely not the game.

[Secret Chimp]

this one?

YES

[280Z Turbo]

Steering feel just like on this!

[giant_mtb]

Interesting.  It'd be cool to be able to have a "highway" mode...steering wheel inputs are much more relaxed, making cruising down the highway a lot easier.

[sportyaccordy]

3 years ago.  The one and only time I have ever had an alternator pack it in was while I was doing 50 mph down the highway.
Not even close to the same thing.  DBW throttles and ABS don't take away feel and I never opposed them.  ABS is technology I rather like.  The reason steering feel is so good in the Infiniti G and other performance cars is because of the mechanical connection.  No steer by wire is going to be able to allow you to feel the different road surface textures and road imperfections.  It's going to suck.  That's my prediction.

ABS, eh. But people were definitely crying when DBW throttles came out. They have the calibrations down pretty well now which is why you don't notice, but either way there is still definitely a difference, especially with older cars.

And honestly I think the "road imperfection" deal is a little overrated. Yes, its good to have if it doesn't interfere. But bump steer is never cool, and I've never driven a car w/high feedback that didn't also wrestle me at the wheel. You can get quality grip and load feedback (which is of value WRT controlling the car) w/o wrestling the wheel over every rock and rut in the road. My bike has crazy bump steer and I hate it, I would have more control + confidence without that element of feedback.

[SVT666]

And honestly I think the "road imperfection" deal is a little overrated. Yes, its good to have if it doesn't interfere. But bump steer is never cool, and I've never driven a car w/high feedback that didn't also wrestle me at the wheel.

You haven't driven the cars I've driven then.

[hotrodalex]

I don't think it would eliminate bumpsteer. Might be able to counteract it without sending the feedback through the steering wheel, but that would be weird.

[sportyaccordy]

I don't think it would eliminate bumpsteer. Might be able to counteract it without sending the feedback through the steering wheel, but that would be weird.

If the steering wheel isn't directly connected to the wheels there's no reason to have bumpsteer. At most they could limit the amplitude of feedback from the wheel, so youd get some kickback w/o that wrist snapping action. Thats the beauty of an electronic interface.

[hotrodalex]

You can also design suspension/steering systems that have little-to-no bumpsteer.

[SVT666]

If the steering wheel isn't directly connected to the wheels there's no reason to have bumpsteer. At most they could limit the amplitude of feedback from the wheel, so youd get some kickback w/o that wrist snapping action. Thats the beauty of an electronic interface.

When the hell was the last time you had bumpsteer like that?  You're just being ridiculous.

[2o6]

But there's a back-up physical linkage. What's the point, then?