Rear axle rotation is becoming common equipment on more expensive vehicles. Ferrari takes this technology a bit further.
On 15 November 2022, the European Patent Office (EPO) registered a new patent from Ferrari, relating to a new way of turning the rear axle. The system should help not only with improved driving dynamics, but also with fuel economy and reduced tire wear.
Today’s most common rear-wheel steering systems work by turning the rear wheels in the opposite direction of the front wheels at slower speeds, reducing the turning radius. This system is particularly useful when maneuvering around town, in parking lots… Owners of limousines or larger SUVs, for example, appreciate this technology very much.
At higher speeds the opposite occurs. The rear wheels turn in the same direction as the front wheels, which improves vehicle stability and reduces understeer. With the Thoroughbred SUV you can appreciate the rotation of the rear axle when you leave your comfort zone (read asphalt) and move onto a dirt road, where the new model from Maranello, thanks to an improved system, holds the track better.
For most rear-axle steering systems, the rule is that the entire axle moves in the same direction. While most systems have separate controls for individual wheels, they are programmed to have the same steering angle.
A new patent from an Italian automaker aims to break this rule. This happens when accelerating in a straight line and at the limits of mechanical grip when cornering. For example, when accelerating the Thoroughbred SUV, the powerful V12 engine will tend to “dance” the rear of the car. The new pivoting rear axle system pulls each of the rear wheels slightly inward, which not only reduces the risk of skidding, but also reduces the need to use the electric stability control or to transfer torque from one wheel to the other. ‘other.
Ferrari’s new system will be able to fine-tune the driving characteristics thanks to the different rotation of the individual rear wheels depending on the situation. The whole process thus contributes to greater agility and overall stability when cornering, without any intervention of the electronic differential.
In addition to the electrically controlled functions of the car, Ferrari obviously continues to focus on mechanical functions that significantly improve the driving characteristics of the Italian models. And it’s nice to see. It will be interesting to see if, thanks to this new patent, the Ferrari Purosangue will be one of the best-handling SUV models on the market. That we would have had the answer at the classic confrontation of forces at the Nürburgring?
