Enhanced driving control system for snowmobiles

A driving control system for enhancing steering control of a snowmobile, the snowmobile having a vehicle body including an engine disposed in the vehicle body, a drive track device coupled to the engine with the drive track device including a track belt positioned on the terrain, and at least one ground engaging member disposed at a lower side of the vehicle body and positioned on the terrain, the driving control system comprising:

• a steering system having a user operated steering element for adjusting an angle of the at least one ground engaging member relative to a longitudinal axis of the snowmobile;
• a throttle mounted to the user operated steering element and adapted to be coupled to the engine to adjust an operation of the engine to actuate the drive track device to rotate the track belt for propelling the snowmobile along the terrain;
• an electrically actuated device coupled to the steering system for applying a torque to the steering system;
• a plurality of sensors to generate terrain condition data of the terrain and to generate operational data of the snowmobile, wherein said plurality of sensors comprises a torque sensor to generate a portion of the operational data of the snowmobile and at least one additional sensor;
• and
• at least one controller coupled to the electrically actuated device and the sensors, the at least one controller:
• selecting a terrain condition mode using the generated terrain condition data and the generated operational data, wherein the terrain condition mode is selected from an ice on-trail mode, a snow on-trail mode, and a powder off-trail mode;
• determining a torque to apply to the steering system responsive to an angle and speed of rotation of the user operated steering element by using the selected terrain condition mode and the generated operational data;
• and
• operating the electrically actuated device to apply the torque to the steering system for providing enhanced steering control of the snowmobile responsive to the angle and speed of rotation of the user operated steering element, with the torque being applied only by the electrically actuated device.