A new era of vehicle operation is about to begin for Mercedes-Benz customers, as the marque will be the first German car manufacturer to offer a production vehicle with a steer-by-wire system from 2026.
This system does not require a mechanical connection between the steering wheel and the front wheels. Instead, the driver's steering requests are transmitted quickly and directly via an electrical cable.
Furthermore, steer-by-wire leads to more flexibility in interior design: The steering wheel can be flatter, which results in a more spacious feel and a better view of the driver's display. Mercedes-Benz also states that this makes getting in and out of the car easier because the flattened underside of the steering wheel creates more room.
This new steer-by-wire system from the brand has already completed more than one million test kilometres on test benches. On top of that is a similar number of test kilometres on proving grounds and in the validation of complete prototype vehicles in road traffic.
In line with its high safety standards, Mercedes‑Benz relies on a redundant system architecture in addition to high-precision sensors and high-performance control units, which always ensures steering ability. Even in the most unlikely event of a complete failure, lateral guidance is still possible thanks to rear-axle steering and targeted wheel-specific braking interventions via its Electronic Stability Program system.
