Alan B. Pearce wrote:
>>> My Vauxhall / GM  Astra has an electrical power steering pump, lose
>>> that
>>> and I can't turn the wheel.... Is that counted as drive by wire?
>>>       
>> You CAN turn the steering if the pump fails, it just takes a lot of
>> effort.  The same with servo assisted brakes, you need good leg muscles
>> to stop the car without the engine running, but it is possible.
>>     
>
> Yes, it is an interesting experience to have your foot on the brake, and 
> turn the engine off, while the car is on a slight slope. You feel the brake 
> pedal get steadily harder to push as the vacuum bleeds away, and you try to 
> stop the car rolling.
>
> Typically when driving at highway speed the loss of power steering will be 
> barely noticeable, it will really only effect the amount of effort you need 
> to put into the steering at low speed. Does act as a form of 'fail safe' by 
> making you rather nervous about starting off again after it fails.
>
> I hadn't heard of using electric pumps for PS before, I guess it simplifies 
> the factory installation of a heap of engine options that smaller cars seem 
> to have these days, by not requiring the pump to be mounted on the engine.
>
>   
Also in some cases lets the user select varying degrees of assistance, 
from He-Man through girlyman. I often wish you could set the spring 
force on the pedals as easily, i have terrible difficulty driving my 
mums rav 4 after getting out of my 1985 telstar where the only thing 
thats power assisted is the brakes and even then its still pretty stiff. 
Get into her car and i stall when letting the clutch out and looking at 
the brake pedal sends you through the windscreen.
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