Nio ET9 Is The First Car To Get ZF’s Steer-by-Wire Tech

Nio, the Chinese EV maker, is fitting ZF’s steer-by-wire tech in its flagship EV, the ET9. The steer-by-wire tech, which includes the steering wheel actuator, redundant steering gear actuator and the associated software, is provided by ZF to Nio. ZF is the first components manufacturer to mass produce the steer-by-wire tech. 

The steer-by-wire tech is developed by ZF’s new Chassis Solutions division, which was founded in early 2024. Peter Holdmann, Member of the Board of Management at ZF and responsible for the Chassis Solutions Division, said, “We are supplying customers with the steering of the future. With our production-ready steer-by-wire steering system, we are launching the era of the software-defined vehicle.”

There is a mechatronic actuator between the wheels that acts as a source of steering power. Steering commands are relayed through a steering wheel actuator in the cockpit. The steer-by-wire tech allows to have different steering ratios, depending on the speed of the vehicle. This means that at lower speeds, the turning circle will be increased to have better manoeuvrability, while at higher speeds the turning circle will be reduced to improve stability and handling. Steer-by-wire will also allow cars to have a differentiated steering feel - from “sporty and direct” to “comfortable and relaxed”. 

Nio is not the first manufacturer to use steer-by-wire. The Tesla Cybertruck was the first car to have this steering technology. ZF says it has orders from European manufacturers too but didn’t divulge any names.