by What is Drive by Wire?
A drive by wire system replaces the traditional mechanical linkage between the steering wheel, brake pedal, accelerator pedal and throttle body or valve train with an electronic control system. With drive by wire, signals are sent electronically from the steering wheel and pedals to the control modules, which process the inputs and command actuators to operate the throttle, brakes and other systems as needed.
Advantages of Drive by Wire
They offers several advantages over conventional mechanical control systems. Removing mechanical linkages reduces weight and complexity in the vehicle, freeing up space. It also allows for advanced safety, traction and vehicle dynamics features not possible with mechanical controls.
Some key advantages include:
Improved Vehicle Dynamics and Performance
Without mechanical linkages restricting how the controls can be programmed, they allows for more customizable pedal/steering feel mapping. Drive by Wire enables features like electronic throttle control for optimal acceleration and improved fuel efficiency. Traction control, torque vectoring and stability control systems can also be integrated for enhanced handling and grip in all road conditions.
Enhanced Safety Features
They enables advanced functions like automatic emergency braking that can help avoid collisions. It allows for sophisticated control strategies where inputs are filtered or overridden for safety. For example, sudden steering or pedal inputs could be attenuated to prevent wheel slip or loss of control. Drive by wire braking also allows for intelligent features like brake-by-wire which independently actuates each wheel’s brakes for improved stability.
Increased Reliability and Durability
Electronic control systems have no wear parts and require less maintenance than mechanical linkages and components. Removing mechanical components also reduces the possibility of issues like linkage seizure in harsh weather conditions or with age. Advanced diagnostics make it easy to detect faults and perform repairs in the electronic systems.
Enablement of Autonomous Driving
Self-driving vehicles require full electronic control of acceleration, braking and steering without any mechanical driver inputs. Drive-by-wire provides the capability for automated or autonomous control over the vehicle’s motion without human intervention through direct electronic actuation of vehicle systems. It is a fundamental enabling technology for increasing autonomous vehicle capabilities.
Transitioning Vehicle Systems to Drive by Wire
The shift to fully-electronic control of vehicle motion began with fly-by-wire flight controls and has now expanded significantly in automotive applications over the last few decades. Here’s a brief overview of how different vehicle systems have transitioned to drive by wire technology:
Brake-by-Wire
Among the earliest automotive applications of drive-by-wire, brake-by-wire systems started becoming common in the late 1990s for performance vehicle stability control systems. Modern brake-by-wire allows independent control of each wheel’s brakes for anti-lock braking, traction control and sophisticated stability functions without direct mechanical brake pedal linkage.
Throttle-by-Wire
Unlike mechanical throttle cables, electronic throttle control or throttle-by-wire uses a pedal position sensor and electronic throttle actuation to control the throttle butterfly valve for more optimized fuel efficiency and performance. It enables features like idle-stop that temporarily turns off the engine at idle.
Steer-by-Wire
Emerging steering technology using fully electronic control of steering actuator(s) rather than traditional mechanical linkages between steering wheel and steering rack or steering Column. Steer-by-wire allows for advanced four-wheel steering functions and enables steer-less vehicle control interfaces for autonomous driving systems.
Shift-by-Wire
In addition to drive-by-wire control for automatic and semi-automatic transmissions using electronic actuation of gear selection rather than mechanical linkage.
As the individual vehicle control systems transitioned to drive-by-wire independently, manufacturers are now focused on integrating these systems for cooperative control strategies. Full system integration allows advanced features combining steering, braking and throttle control for unified vehicle motion functions like torque vectoring turns for enhanced stability and agility.
*Note:
1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it
About Author - Ravina Pandya
Ravina Pandya, a content writer, has a strong foothold in the market research industry. She specializes in writing well-researched articles from different industries, including food and beverages, information and technology, healthcare, chemicals and materials, etc. With an MBA in E-commerce, she has expertise in SEO-optimized content that resonates with industry professionals. LinkedIn Profile
