Short History of Four Wheel Steering

a year ago

The automotive industry has had many failed products and ideas, including poorly designed climate controls and the Chrysler TC by Maserati.
Some good ideas, like four-wheel steering (4WS), were buried due to poor execution, bad marketing, or being ahead of their time.
Four-wheel steering isn't new; early 20th-century trucks like the Cotta Cottamobile and Jeffery/Nash Quad Lorry had 4WS systems.
By the 1980s, active 4WS systems appeared in concept cars but were more for show than practical use.
Active 4WS systems use opposite-phase steering (rear wheels turn opposite to front wheels) to reduce turning radius, improving maneuverability at low speeds.
Opposite-phase steering is limited to low speeds (under 30-40 mph) to prevent instability and potential skidding.

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