Ford aims to cut power steering hoses

ERJ staff report (DS)

Dearborn, Michigan -- Ford Motor Company said it has made a commitment to fit 80 to 90 percent of its Ford, Lincoln and Mercury products with electric power steering (EPS) systems by 2012. This, it claimed, would improve the overall fuel economy, performance and reliability of the company's lineup.

A story on Ford's Media website said, "The trend toward electric-powered steering continues to grow within the global auto industry. In Western Europe, for example, 6.1 million passenger cars and light trucks will be equipped with various EPS systems in 2007. That's up from 3.3 million vehicles in 2003, according to just-auto.com. Ford estimates that utilization of electric-powered steering in North America will increase approximately 36% by 2011."

"We have a very aggressive plan that by the time we finish with our migration in 2012, we will have a strong position as one of the leaders in this technology," says Brad Hochrein, Ford technical specialist, Electrical Steering.

Ford said, "EPS systems do not require engine power to operate and draw electric power only as needed, improving efficiency and extending component life; are reasonably compact and offer some weight savings, equating to packaging flexibility and easier vehicle assembly; are quiet since there is no need for an engine-mounted pump; and eliminates the need for hydraulic fluid in the first place. In addition, EPS systems represent a CO₂ emissions savings of approximately 3.5 percent since they operate on demand."

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Story on Ford website