By-wire cars turn the corner

The basic concept of by-wire sounds simple enough: replace the car´s mechanically linked hydraulic systems-steering and braking, for example-with electronic ones. By-wire systems began to be installed well over a decade ago, first in military and then in commercial aircraft. In a “true” by-wire system, there would be no hydraulic backup to the electronic system; therein lies a cause for carmakers´ concern. Drivers count on the fact that the brakes and steering work when and how they are supposed to, thanks to hydraulic systems. Car makers just don´t know how drivers will react to the wires, computers, and microcontrollers. Another basic hurdle automakers face is that no industry-wide standard exists for a by-wire system. There is no set specification for the electronic control of a safety-critical system like braking or steering. While automakers agree that having such a standard will help both in winning public confidence in by-wire systems and in designing and implementing such systems, they have yet to agree on one. What´s more, this standard needs to work for all safety-critical functions under the by-wire umbrella. This paper describes how by-wire systems work in aiding the driver in steering, stabilising and braking the car. The barriers to implementing such systems are outlined