German supplier ZF Lenksysteme GmbH has worked closely with Cadillac to create a “world-class dynamic handling and steering for all models of the 2015 ATS.”
Cadillac‘s new electronic power steering system for the ATS will give a wider range of assist than the 2014 ATS’s power steering unit. The result is an “incredibly communicative, well-weighted and responsive steering system,” according to ZF’s Kevin Woodward. New programming broadens the range of steering assist at low and high vehicle speeds, based on wheel speed, steering angle, and even the car’s chassis mode.
“It means that you don’t have to sacrifice parking lot feel for spirited driving feel,” he adds.
In order to ensure that 2015 ATS drivers feel as connected to the road as possible, the car’s steering system includes stiff, direct-acting, and low-friction ball bearing designs for both the steering column and intermediate shaft.
Between the mechanical design of the system and the additional software changes, Woodward says that the 2015 ATS’s steering “illustrates our ability to balance the goal of spirited performance, nimble, and quick-responding steering with the premium luxury feel expected by Cadillac owner.”
Comments
Will the new steering on the 2015 ATS be similar to the track mode available on the V-Sport series?