Active Steering
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One thing that almost never gets noticed about AS is one thing that I've found extremely convenient. The turning radius with that is truly incredible. You can make the smallest turns with AS in very, very tight spaces. And I don't think it is simply the car's geometry, I think it is helped in large part by the active steering.
Has anyone seen the specs on the turning radius with and w/o the AS? I guess that would be one way to know if it really is improved.
Has anyone seen the specs on the turning radius with and w/o the AS? I guess that would be one way to know if it really is improved.
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Originally Posted by gdavis' date='Aug 19 2005, 08:19 PM
One thing that almost never gets noticed about AS is one thing that I've found extremely convenient. The turning radius with that is truly incredible. You can make the smallest turns with AS in very, very tight spaces. And I don't think it is simply the car's geometry, I think it is helped in large part by the active steering.
Has anyone seen the specs on the turning radius with and w/o the AS? I guess that would be one way to know if it really is improved.
Has anyone seen the specs on the turning radius with and w/o the AS? I guess that would be one way to know if it really is improved.
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Originally Posted by mr_bmwguy1112' date='Aug 19 2005, 11:55 PM
[quote name='gdavis' date='Aug 19 2005, 08:19 PM']One thing that almost never gets noticed about AS is one thing that I've found extremely convenient. The turning radius with that is truly incredible. You can make the smallest turns with AS in very, very tight spaces. And I don't think it is simply the car's geometry, I think it is helped in large part by the active steering.
Has anyone seen the specs on the turning radius with and w/o the AS? I guess that would be one way to know if it really is improved.
Has anyone seen the specs on the turning radius with and w/o the AS? I guess that would be one way to know if it really is improved.
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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Originally Posted by newbie' date='Aug 16 2005, 03:13 PM
Just curious. I heard that the M5's dont have active steering.
Do u know if it has an equivalen technology that varies the
amount of power steering based on the speed ?
-nar
Do u know if it has an equivalen technology that varies the
amount of power steering based on the speed ?
-nar
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Servotronic varies the amount of power steering (boost or assist) based on speed but Active Steering varies the steering ratio based on speed. In other words, one makes the wheel harder or easier to turn and the other changes the amount of turns the wheel makes to go from lock-to-lock.
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My Ride: My ex-ride: EU '08 LCI 520dA. Space Grey, Sport Seats in Black Leather/Fabric Anthracite, Sport Steering Wheel, A/C with Extended Features, Hi-Fi Speakers, Cup Holders, Cruise with Braking function, Folding Rear Seats, Xenons, Park Distance Control.
Originally Posted by rodybmw' date='Aug 16 2005, 06:29 AM
Yeah, you definately notice the presence of Active Steering the very first time you drive a car with it, however, the significance of it does not register until you go back and drive a "regular" car after a few days with AS.? That is when you really feel the difference and appreciate having AS.? The very first time that I went back to my old M3 after driving the 545i for a few days it felt like I was driving a bus.? That's when I knew that I would always get the Active Steering option as long as it is available on the model that I am interested in.? I will however make an exception for the M5 if I were to win the BMWCCA raffle 
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My Ride: 2008 Porsche 911 Carrera S Convertible. Midnight Blue, 6 Speed.Retired - 2007 997 Carrera S, Midnight Blue, Grey leather, premium audioRetired - 2007 550i, Monaco Blue over Beige, Navigation, Logic 7, Cold Weather Pack, Comfort Access, Sport Package
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Originally Posted by Ricracing' date='Aug 20 2005, 11:14 AM
[quote name='rodybmw' date='Aug 16 2005, 06:29 AM']Yeah, you definately notice the presence of Active Steering the very first time you drive a car with it, however, the significance of it does not register until you go back and drive a "regular" car after a few days with AS.? That is when you really feel the difference and appreciate having AS.? The very first time that I went back to my old M3 after driving the 545i for a few days it felt like I was driving a bus.? That's when I knew that I would always get the Active Steering option as long as it is available on the model that I am interested in.? I will however make an exception for the M5 if I were to win the BMWCCA raffle ?
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[/quote]I don't consider active steering to be artificial nor any AS equipped BMW to be less of a driver's car as a consequence.
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From: Helsinki, Finland
My Ride: My ex-ride: EU '08 LCI 520dA. Space Grey, Sport Seats in Black Leather/Fabric Anthracite, Sport Steering Wheel, A/C with Extended Features, Hi-Fi Speakers, Cup Holders, Cruise with Braking function, Folding Rear Seats, Xenons, Park Distance Control.
The M5 (or M6) is a drivers car and cannot have artificial Active Steering nor Runflat tires.
I don't consider active steering to be artificial nor any AS equipped BMW to be less of a driver's car as a consequence.
The AS is a great tool for normal everyday driving, but IT IS artificial. That's the reason why the M's doesn't have it.
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[/quote]I don't consider active steering to be artificial nor any AS equipped BMW to be less of a driver's car as a consequence.
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[/quote]The AS is a great tool for normal everyday driving, but IT IS artificial. That's the reason why the M's doesn't have it.
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From: Bay Area, CA
Originally Posted by Rudy' date='Aug 19 2005, 10:11 PM
Maybe I'm misinterpreting what you mean but it sounds like you are confusing Servotronic with Active Steering.? The two technologies are not equivalent at all.
Servotronic varies the amount of power steering (boost or assist) based on speed but Active Steering varies the steering ratio based on speed.? In other words, one makes the wheel harder or easier to turn and the other changes the amount of turns the wheel makes to go from lock-to-lock.
Servotronic varies the amount of power steering (boost or assist) based on speed but Active Steering varies the steering ratio based on speed.? In other words, one makes the wheel harder or easier to turn and the other changes the amount of turns the wheel makes to go from lock-to-lock.
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However, I remember reading somewhere that some innovations like
the AS (the one that changes the steering ratio) is not there on the M5.
Ricracing has already alluded to this, but I just wanted to confirm that
that was the case.
-Nar
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From: Los Angeles, CA USA
Originally Posted by Ricracing' date='Aug 20 2005, 11:14 AM
[quote name='rodybmw' date='Aug 16 2005, 06:29 AM']Yeah, you definately notice the presence of Active Steering the very first time you drive a car with it, however, the significance of it does not register until you go back and drive a "regular" car after a few days with AS.? That is when you really feel the difference and appreciate having AS.? The very first time that I went back to my old M3 after driving the 545i for a few days it felt like I was driving a bus.? That's when I knew that I would always get the Active Steering option as long as it is available on the model that I am interested in.? I will however make an exception for the M5 if I were to win the BMWCCA raffle ?
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[/quote]I understand that the M5 is almost like a race car and therefore BMW decided to leave out any external influences like the Active Steering (that is not to say that the M5 doesn't already have plenty of other electronics and software "influencing" it). Having said that, my 545i "feels" a lot more fun to drive because of the Active Steering than any of my previous BMW's.....even the M3.
Just my opinion.......
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Originally Posted by newbie' date='Aug 20 2005, 09:34 PM
...I remember reading somewhere that some innovations like
the AS (the one that changes the steering ratio) is not there on the M5.
Ricracing has already alluded to this, but I just wanted to confirm that
that was the case.
the AS (the one that changes the steering ratio) is not there on the M5.
Ricracing has already alluded to this, but I just wanted to confirm that
that was the case.
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