Steering technology of the future: HELLA supplies sensor technology for all-electric steer-by-wire systems

Lippstadt, 24 May 2023. HELLA, the automotive supplier operating under the overarching umbrella brand FORVIA, has received several significant customer orders for the latest generation of steering sensors. This is an essential key technology with which HELLA is significantly advancing the development of steer-by-wire systems. Series production for various well-known customers is expected to start in 2025 at HELLA's electronics plants in Recklinghausen (Germany) and Xiamen (China). Development takes place at the company's headquarters in Lippstadt (Germany).

In steer-by-wire systems, steering commands are transmitted purely electrically and without the aid of mechanical or hydraulic connections between the steering wheel and the front axle. In such a steering system, the steering sensors from HELLA detect the torque and angle of the steering wheel with high precision and reliability and transmit them as an electrical signal. Since previously required hardware components, such as the steering rod, are no longer needed, the steering adjustment can be adapted to the situation or the customer. Flexible design concepts can also be realized for the engine and vehicle interior, which enable new types of cockpit designs, cost advantages through modularization and variant reduction, as well as increased crash safety.

"With the latest customer orders, we are setting the course towards all-electric steering systems. This once again underlines the pronounced future orientation of our electronics portfolio," says Jörg Weisgerber, Managing Director Electronics at HELLA. "At the same time, we are demonstrating our distinctive capabilities in bringing safety-relevant vehicle components to series production along key automotive growth areas, in this case steer-by-wire."

HELLA has been active in the market for steering sensors since 2007 and is building on an already strong market position. The development focus of the fifth product generation, with which steer-by-wire functionalities are now implemented for the first time, is in particular the redundant and at the same time cost-efficient architecture of the sensor in order to meet the highest safety requirements. The company's own CIPOS® sensor technology is used in the steering sensors. Since the market launch of this highly accurate, wear-free sensor concept in 1999, HELLA has already produced around 1 billion different position sensors with CIPOS® technology.