3 ms·

Engineering Explained did a really good video about this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agMrewRJTow https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agMrewRJTow

• dkjaudyeqooe 3y ago
  To save going through that whole video for the answer: they have redundant power supplies (3 batteries total) and redundant actuator motors. But the fact is if there is a bad enough electrical/wiring fault, especially as the car gets older, you are toast and you have no steering. Of course the same thing can happen with mechanical steering (eg a broken linkage) it comes down to the quality of the design and build.
  • HPsquared 3y ago
    The whole design will be such that a single electrical fault can't make it fail. It probably has at least 3 channels. Probably won't even allow you to start the car if one of them is faulty. This kind of thing will almost certainly be designed to comply with ISO 26262.
  • sfjailbird 3y ago
    I've had the power steering cut out on me in a traditional ICE car, you're pretty much hosed in that situation, too, as far as steering is concerned.