Method for determining assist torque offset and system using same

A system for operating a steering assist system on a vehicle, comprising:

• a driving assist system;
• an electric power assist steering system coupled to the driving assist system;
• a requested additional assist torque required by the driving assist system as specified by the assist torque request;
• a force being applied by a driver on a steering column of the vehicle;
• a total column torque defined to be a function of the requested additional assist torque and the force being applied by a driver on a steering column of the vehicle;
• and
• a column torque offset supplied to the electric power steering system from the driving system, the column torque offset is defined by a function of the force being applied by a driver on a steering column of the vehicle and the total column torque.

An electronic control system having at least one data processing device to carry out operations for:

• determining a first column torque as a function of a requested additional assist torque required by driving assist system that influences outputted assist torque of an electric power assist steering system of a vehicle and a torsional force being applied by a driver of the vehicle on a steering column of the vehicle;
• determining a second column torque as a function of torsional force being applied by a driver of the vehicle on a steering column of the vehicle;
• and
• determining a column torque offset as a function of both the first column torque and the second column torque.