Photos Courtesy Ford Motor Company

An enjoyable driving experience can make all the difference in the world to a new car owner. Ford Motor Company’s new Adaptive Steering technology is designed to improve the driver experience and will be available within 12 months.

Traditionally, the ratio between the steering wheel and the front wheels has been fixed – the amount a driver cranks on the wheel affects how far the wheels turn proportionally. With the Adaptive Steering system installed on a vehicle, this is no longer the case. The steering ratio continually changes with vehicle speed and is designed to optimize the steering response in all conditions. 

At lower speeds – like turning into a parking space – the system dials more steering into the road wheel, and the low-speed maneuvers will require less turning of the steering wheel. At highway speeds, the Adaptive Steering system is designed to optimize the steering response and permit the vehicle to react more precisely to driver input. 

The system is designed using a precision-controlled actuator using an electric motor and gearing system that fits inside the steering wheel.  

Ford says that the actuator adds or subtracts from a driver’s steering input, and will provide a better driving experience at all speeds no matter what you’re driving – a Fiesta or a Super Duty. 

We’re not sure how it will feel in practice, or whether it will help in a performance application, but the technology concept is a sweet idea. Will Adaptive Steering detract from the driving experience in a Mustang on a road course? It’s possible – but since the system fits into the steering wheel, we have no doubt the aftermarket will come up with a solution to remove it if necessary.

But cranking the wheel a little bit instead of spinning it twice to fit the tow rig into that tight parking spot? Sign us up!