Steering control system and method

An electronic control system for a vehicle comprising:

• a plurality of input devices, the plurality of input devices including a sensor that provides information pertaining to a steering angle of a first vehicle wheel;
• a plurality of output devices, the plurality of output devices including an actuator capable of adjusting a steering angle of a second vehicle wheel;
• a communication network;
• and
• a plurality of microprocessor based interface modules, the plurality of interface modules being interconnected to each other by way of the communication network, and the plurality of interface modules being coupled to the plurality of input devices an to the plurality of output devices, the plurality of interface modules including one or more interface modules that is coupled to the sensor and to the actuator;
• wherein the electronic control system controls the steering angle of the second vehicle wheel as a function of the steering angle of the first vehicle wheel.

An electronic control system for a vehicle comprising:

• a sensor that provides digital signals pertaining to a steering angle of a first vehicle wheel;
• and
• an actuator capable of adjusting one or both of the steering angle of the first vehicle wheel or a steering angle of a second vehicle wheel;
• wherein the electronic control system receives the digital signals from the sensor and controls the steering angle of one or both of the first and second vehicle wheels.

A vehicle having an electronic control system comprising:

• a first set of vehicle wheels having a first steering angle;
• and
• a second set of vehicle wheels having a second steering angle;
• wherein the electronic control system includes a plurality of modes for controlling the second steering angle as a function of the first steering angle, the plurality of modes including a first mode and a second mode;
• wherein the electronic control system is configured to receive input to change from a first mode to a second mode, and, in response to the input, the electronic control unit is configured to operate in the first mode until at least one of the sets of vehicle wheels travels through a straight-ahead position at which time the electronic control unit changes to the second mode.

A vehicle having an electronic control system comprising:

• a first set of vehicle wheels having a first steering angle;
• a second set of vehicle wheels having a second steering angle;
• and
• a lock configured to maintain the second set of vehicle wheels in a lock position;
• wherein the electronic control system controls the second steering angle as a function of the first steering angle;
• and
• wherein the locked position of the second set of vehicle wheels is input to the electronic control system as a calibration point for a straight-ahead position oft second set of vehicle wheels.

A vehicle having an electronic control system comprising:

• a first set of vehicle wheels having a first steering angle;
• and
• a second set of vehicle wheels having a second steering angle;
• wherein the electronic control system controls one or both of the first and second steering angles;
• and
• wherein the electronic control system is configured to log the steering angle of one or both of the first and second set of vehicle wheels.

An electronic control system for a vehicle comprising:

• a sensor that provides information relating to a steering angle of a first set of vehicle wheels;
• an actuator capable of adjusting a steering angle of second set of vehicle wheels;
• and
• a graphical user interface;
• wherein the electronic control system controls the steering angle of the second set of vehicle wheels as a function of the steering angle of the first set of vehicle wheels;
• and
• wherein the graphical user interface displays calibration instructions for calibrating the straight-ahead position of the first and second sets of vehicle wheels.

A system comprising:

• a vehicle which includes
• a first set of vehicle wheels having a first steering angle;
• a second set of vehicle wheels having a second steering angle;
• and
• an electronic control system;
• wherein the electronic control system controls the second steering angle as a function of the first steering angle;
• a vehicle wheel alignment system;
• wherein the electronic control system receives input from the vehicle wheel alignment system and uses the input to determine the straight-ahead position of the second set of vehicle wheels.

A vehicle having an electronic control system comprising:

• a first set of vehicle wheels having a first steering angle;
• a second set of vehicle wheels having a second steering angle;
• a graphical user interface which includes a representation of the vehicle including an image of the first and second sets of vehicle wheels;
• wherein the first and second steering angles in the image change as the first and second steering angles of the first and second sets of vehicle wheels change.