Mercedes-Benz EQS Steer-by-Wire Redefines Driving
For 140 years, Mercedes-Benz has shaped the future of mobility, starting with the invention of the motor car. The new EQS highlights that pioneering spirit with steer-by-wire technology, the first production vehicle from a German carmaker to offer this system. This steer-by-wire technology lifts the EQS driving experience and changes how the driver connects with the car through precise, intuitive and effortless steering.
The new steering feel creates a distinctive experience and brings clear benefits in everyday driving. It improves driving dynamics, manoeuvring and parking. Steer-by-wire reduces the effort required to steer and removes the need to change grip on the steering wheel while turning.
The system also filters out vibrations from uneven road surfaces before they reach the driver through the steering wheel. At the same time, it preserves the precise, intuitive feel that defines Mercedes-Benz steering.
Steer-by-wire also reshapes the interior. The flatter steering wheel rim provides more space for the driver, improves visibility of the driver's display, and makes entry and exit easier. This design strengthens the brand’s signature "Welcome home" feeling from the moment the driver gets in.
The EQS now blends sportiness and comfort even more effectively while also improving driving stability and lateral agility. The suspension specialists have adapted the steering ratio to suit different driving situations. The system also works seamlessly with the standard rear-axle steering. At higher speeds, the rear wheels turn in parallel with the front wheels to improve stability.
The new steer-by-wire system has already completed more than a million test kilometres (21,000 miles) on test benches, test tracks and public roads during full vehicle validation. Mercedes-Benz uses a redundant system architecture, high-precision sensors and powerful control units to meet its strict safety standards. These two signal paths keep the steering function available at all times. The rear-axle steering and targeted wheel-specific braking interventions via ESP® also support lateral control.
Alongside the optional steer-by-wire system, Mercedes-Benz continues to fit the EQS with electromechanical steering as standard.
In the new EQS, Mercedes-Benz pairs steer-by-wire technology with a flattened, more compact steering wheel and a newly developed airbag structure. Because the airbag no longer relies on the steering wheel rim for support, an internal support-and-folding architecture controls its shape during deployment. This solution demands a high level of technological expertise.
Mercedes-Benz designed the throttle routing, folding pattern and holding points to keep the airbag stable and consistent, even without the upper steering wheel rim. The company integrates the system into the steering wheel hub, just as before, and ensures that the revised steering wheel design still meets the brand’s highest safety standards. This solution highlights Mercedes-Benz’s holistic approach to innovation, with engineers redesigning vehicle architectures to the finest details of passive safety.