steering system

engineering

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Last updated

July 14, 2026

Quick Summary

The steering system in an automobile is engineered to allow the driver to control the direction of the vehicle. It translates the turning motion of the steering wheel into the pivoting of the front wheels through a series of gears and linkages.1

Early steering systems required significant physical effort, especially as cars became heavier and tires wider. To address this, power steering was developed. Power steering systems use a hydraulic device, driven by the engine, to amplify the torque applied to the steering wheel, making it easier for the driver to turn. This hydraulic boost engages only when the steering wheel is being turned. Modern systems often incorporate speed-sensitive technology, providing more assistance at low speeds for easier parking and less assistance at high speeds for better control.21

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automobile
Steering
Automobiles are steered by a system of gears and linkages that transmit the motion of the steering wheel to the pivoted front wheel hubs. The gear mechanism, located at the lower end of the shaft carrying the steering wheel, is usually a worm-and-nut or…
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Automobiles are steered by a system of gears and linkages that transmit the motion of the steering wheel to the pivoted front wheel hubs. The gear mechanism, located at the lower end of the shaft carrying the steering wheel, is usually a worm-and-nut or…
Read More

rack and pinion
…have rack-and-pinion drives on their steering mechanisms that operate in this way.
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…have rack-and-pinion drives on their steering mechanisms that operate in this way.
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truck
Steering
Steering of trucks, with their relatively heavy loads, was a problem until power steering came into use in the early 1950s. Steering is always by the Ackermann system, which provides a kingpin for each front wheel. Maximum cramp angle of the front wheels is…
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Steering of trucks, with their relatively heavy loads, was a problem until power steering came into use in the early 1950s. Steering is always by the Ackermann system, which provides a kingpin for each front wheel. Maximum cramp angle of the front wheels is…
Read More