Ford Adaptive Steering System Launching on 2016 Ford Edge Will Change How the World Turns

• Adaptive steering is a new generation of steering technology from Ford that improves steering efficiency at any speed – making the vehicle easier to maneuver and more fun to drive
• Housed entirely within the steering wheel, latest technology from Ford is a smart solution that will benefit drivers in all driving conditions
• Ford adaptive steering to be standard on 2016 Edge Sport and available on Edge Titanium

DEARBORN, Mich., Sept. 15, 2015 – When the 2016 Ford Edge reaches showrooms later this year, Ford Motor Company will introduce an innovative new technology that will redefine the idea of “power steering.”

Ford’s adaptive steering makes it easier for drivers to maneuver a vehicle at low speeds while making the vehicle more fun to drive and agile at high speeds. Adaptive steering will be standard on Edge Sport and available on Edge Titanium.

“First and foremost, all Ford Motor Company products have to offer a great driving experience,” said Raj Nair, Ford group vice president, Global Product Development. “This new steering technology can help make vehicles easy to maneuver and fun to drive.”

Adaptive steering changes the ratio between the driver’s actions at the steering wheel – the number of turns – and how much the front wheels turn. In vehicles without the technology, this is a fixed steering ratio. With adaptive steering, the ratio continually changes with vehicle speed, optimizing the steering response in all conditions.                        

At lower speeds, such as when pulling into a parking space or maneuvering in tight areas, fewer turns of the steering wheel are required. Adaptive steering makes the vehicle more agile and easier to turn as it dials more steering into the road wheel.

At highway speeds, the system optimizes steering response, letting the vehicle react more smoothly to each steering input.

The system – created in collaboration with engineers from TKAG, a Germany-based automotive supplier – uses a precision-controlled actuator placed inside the steering wheel, and requires no change to a vehicle’s traditional steering system.

The actuator – an electric motor and gearing system – can essentially add to or subtract from a driver’s steering inputs. The result is a better driving experience at all speeds, regardless of vehicle size or class.

After rolling out on the 2016 Edge, adaptive steering will be available for other Ford and Lincoln vehicles in the future. It is also being introduced in Europe, initially on Ford S-MAX and Galaxy.