By assisting driver effort in controlling a vehicle's steering wheel, electric power steering (EPS) systems improve directional control and passenger safety while reducing engine loading, thus improving fuel efficiency.
Electric power steering (EPS) systems use an electric motor – typically a three-phase brushless DC (BLDC) motor – to replace the hydraulic actuation mechanism. An EPS can improve the driver's directional control of the vehicle and reduce engine loading, thus improving its fuel efficiency. It also enables variable-assist power steering where the level of assistance is greater at lower speeds when it is needed most and reduced at higher speeds.
ST's solutions for EPS include a full range of three-phase gate drivers and Power MOSFETs for driving BLDC motors, including 48 V domains. Dedicated power management ICs, and CAN transceivers as well as a wide range of flexible and innovative application-specific standard products (ASSP), covering all possible system partitions. SPC5 32-bit automotive microcontrollers provide the overall system control.
