Thyssenkrupp Closes Indiana Steering Component Factory Consolidating Auto Chassis Operations
Thyssenkrupp closes its Indiana chassis factory, consolidating steering component supply in Ohio to streamline costs.
Electromechanical Steering
Chassis Actuation
Modern road vehicles utilize electric motors and electronic control units to provide steering assistance directly to the mechanical rack. Electromechanical steering replaces traditional hydraulic pumps, fluid lines and belt drives with an on-demand electric actuator mounted on the steering column or rack gear. The boundary of the system stops at the mechanical tie rod connections that turn the front wheel knuckles.
Operational Mechanism
Torque sensors on the steering column detect driver input forces and rotational speed thousands of times per second. The steering control unit processes these signals alongside vehicle velocity and yaw rate data, calculating the optimal assistance current. An electric brushless motor applies assisting torque through a belt drive or recirculating ball screw assembly to displace the steering rack.
Because the motor draws electrical energy only during active steering maneuvers, fuel consumption drops compared to continuously driven hydraulic pumps.
Functional Integration
Software calibration allows variable steering effort across changing driving conditions. Electromechanical steering provides light steering effort during low-speed parking maneuvers while increasing mechanical stiffness at highway speeds for directional stability. The architecture forms an indispensable actuator for advanced driver assistance systems, enabling automated lane-keeping and autonomous parking corrections without driver intervention.
Electromechanical steering remains the primary steering architecture across passenger and light commercial vehicle production.