Electrical steering system for manned or unmanned operation

An electrical steering system comprising:

• an upper shaft;
• a steering wheel coupled to the upper shaft for rotation with the upper shaft;
• an electric motor capable of receiving a rotational input from the upper shaft;
• a torque transducer connected to the upper shaft for sensing a torque placed on the steering wheel;
• a steering assembly coupled to at least one of the electric motor and the upper shaft;
• an operator detector electrically or electromagnetically coupled to the torque transducer, the operator detector detecting a presence or an absence of the operator for a corresponding time interval, the presence of the operator for the corresponding time interval determined by the sensed torque meeting or exceeding a threshold minimum torque level;
• and
• a steering controller for controlling the electric motor based upon at least one of the detected presence and the detected absence, the steering controller having a first mode comprising a manned mode to turn the shaft with assistance of the operator consistent with the detected presence;
• the steering controller having a second mode comprising an unmanned mode to the turn the shaft without the operator applying any torque to the steering wheel consistent with the detected absence.