Quadrasteer Steering System at Silverdome

Delphi Automotive Systems will offer consumers a chance to drive a full-size truck equipped
with a preproduction Quadrasteer four -wheel steering system at the 18th Annual Pontiac
Silverdome Camper, Travel and RV Show held in Michigan January 24-28. Quadrasteer,
scheduled to debut on a 2002 GM full-size pickup truck, is an electronic four-wheel
steering system that enables full-size vehicles greater ease of maneuverability while
driving or trailering at low speeds, and improved stability, handling and control at higher
speeds – especially while trailering. Current vehicles use the front two wheels to steer.
The rear wheels remain straight and actually can create some resistance. With Quadrasteer,
the rear wheels are electronically controlled according to the speed of the vehicle. At
lower speeds, the rear wheels turn in the opposite direction of the front wheels, improving
parking maneuvers. At moderate speeds, the rear wheels remain straight or neutral. At
higher speeds, the rear wheels turn in the same direction as the front wheels, improving
vehicle stability. While trailering at low speeds, four-wheel steering enables the trailer
to follow the true vehicle path more closely than with two-wheel steering. This makes
maneuvering in city traffic and parking a lot easier. Using the rear wheels to steer also
greatly improves the trailer response to steering inputs, making it easier to back a
trailer into position. While trailering at higher speeds, all four wheels steer in the same
direction, greatly enhancing vehicle and trailer stability. Benefits to the driver include
reduced trailer sway and less corrective steering requirements for external disturbances
such as wind gusts, semitrailer passing and irregular road surfaces. Delphi’s system
enhances a full-size vehicle’s maneuverability by helping shorten the turning radius,
allowing the vehicle to make tighter, more agile turns. In fact, the smaller radius allows
full-size vehicles to maneuver as adeptly as compact cars. Based on tests with full-size
sport-utility vehicles (SUVs) and pickup trucks, Quadrasteer reduces the minimum turning
-circle diameter by an average of 20 percent. Delphi can be found on the Internet at
www.delphiauto.com .