By ATN Editorial Team
Summary: Nexteer Automotive has put its steer by wire (SbW) system into series production on a Chinese new-energy vehicle — the world’s first passenger car with a full drive-by-wire chassis. The release was made during Auto China 2026.
Key engineering takeaway: The steer by wire system is the world’s first to gain ASIL D functional-safety approval from DAkkS, with dual controllers, dual power supplies, multiple communication links and dual actuation paths — backup paths take over within milliseconds on a single fault. Variable steering ratio, software-defined road-feel simulation and an open interface for ADAS / autonomous driving complete the package.
Why it matters: Nexteer says its first steer by wire system in mass production moves the technology from development and validation to full-scale production. Together with Brake-by-Wire (EMB), Rear-Wheel Steering and the MotionIQ Software Suite, SbW forms Nexteer’s wider Motion-by-Wire portfolio, which Nexteer positions as a complete drive-by-wire chassis motion control solution.
Nexteer Automotive helped a leading Chinese new energy vehicle (NEV) manufacturer bring the world’s first production passenger vehicle with a full drive-by-wire chassis to market. The vehicle features Nexteer’s steer-by-wire (SbW) system as a key enabler.
The SbW featured in this vehicle marks Nexteer’s first SbW system in mass production, representing a major step forward for the technology — moving from development and validation to full-scale production. Certified in late 2025, this system achieved the world’s first ASIL D functional safety approval from DAkkS (German Accreditation Body) through close collaboration with the OEM. This certification reflects global top-tier performance in fault diagnosis, redundancy, and safety monitoring. Key features include:
- Multi-layered redundancy design: Dual controllers, dual power supplies, multiple communication links, and dual actuation paths — achieving redundancy at system, hardware, and software levels. This ensures that in the event of a single fault, the backup path takes over within milliseconds with no loss of steering function.
- Full-scenario functional safety mechanism: Multi-level monitoring and fault handling strategies covering sensors, controllers, actuators, and communication links.
- Variable steering ratio: Automatically adjusts steering angle and effort based on vehicle speed and driving mode, balancing agility and comfort.
- Intuitive road-feel simulation technology: Software-defined steering feedback delivers a more responsive and precise driving experience, adaptable to a wide range of driving scenarios.
- Open interface for autonomous driving: As a key actuation layer for ADAS and autonomous driving systems, it provides real-time, precise control capabilities, supporting the development of intelligent transportation systems.
Steer By Wire Hits Series Production With ASIL D
By decoupling the mechanical link between the hand wheel and the road wheels, steer-by-wire replaces conventional mechanical connections with electronic signals and actuators — and is quickly becoming a foundational technology for next-generation intelligent chassis and autonomous driving platforms. As a motion control technology company with 120 years of engineering heritage, Nexteer offers a flexible, off-the-shelf portfolio of steering feel simulators and road wheel actuators. This modular approach allows us to meet the diverse needs of different vehicle models and driving scenarios efficiently.
Building on its deep expertise in steering systems, Nexteer has expanded into braking with its Brake-by-Wire solution, the Electro-Mechanical Brake (EMB). EMB has completed full development and rigorous validation and is ready for mass production. Together with SbW, Brake-by-Wire (EMB), Rear-Wheel Steering, and the MotionIQ Software Suite make up Nexteer’s broader Motion-by-Wire portfolio.
With Nexteer, OEMs get more than steer-by-wire and brake-by-wire components: they get a complete, proven, production-ready and cost-effective drive-by-wire chassis motion control solution that’s shaping the future of the software-defined chassis and enabling faster development, lower costs and safer, smarter and more exciting driving experiences.
During Auto China 2026, Nexteer is at Booth W1B03, Hall W1, China International Exhibition Center (Shunyi) in Beijing, where visitors can see steer-by-wire and Motion-by-Wire technologies first-hand.
For more steer-by-wire news, click here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Steer-by-wire replaces the mechanical linkage between the steering wheel and the road wheels with an electrical signal, sensors and an actuator on the steering rack. The steering wheel becomes an input device; software interprets the driver’s intent and the electrical actuator steers the wheels accordingly.
Yes. Nexteer’s system is among the first steer-by-wire architectures to gain ASIL D functional-safety certification from DAkkS. It uses dual controllers, dual power supplies, multiple communication links and dual actuation paths, so backup paths take over within milliseconds on a single fault.
Nexteer has put its steer-by-wire into series production on a Chinese new-energy vehicle that is the world’s first passenger car with a full drive-by-wire chassis. The release was made during Auto China 2026.
Steer-by-wire decouples the chassis from the steering column, enabling variable steering ratios, software-defined road-feel simulation, and a clean interface for ADAS and autonomous driving systems to take steering control. It also opens up cabin packaging because there is no steering column to route.
Electric power steering still uses a mechanical column connecting the steering wheel to the rack — the electric motor only assists the driver’s effort. Steer-by-wire removes the mechanical column entirely and relies on electrical signalling, sensors and an actuator. The functional-safety requirements and the redundancy needed are substantially higher.
