Arnold NextG Blogspot: Drive-by-Wire – The New Control Logic in Vehicles

For 139 years, the mechanical steering column has been the core of vehicle control – first introduced in the Benz Patent-Motorwagen of 1886, refined over generations, but fundamentally unchanged: a rigid, mechanical link between steering wheel and axle. With Drive-by-Wire, this historic component disappears. Instead of gears, joints, and hydraulic fluid, electrical signals, redundant ECUs, and actuators now govern vehicle control. This marks more than a technical detail – it represents a break with 139 years of convention and the dawn of a fully digital vehicle generation.

Practical Application: NX NextMotion

Arnold NextG has developed NX NextMotion, a platform that integrates Steer-, Brake-, and Throttle-by-Wire into one fail-operational system architecture.

• Steer-by-Wire
  Redundant actuators controlled by safety-certified ECUs. No mechanical steering column required. Safety ensured through 2oo3 sensor validation, real-time monitoring, and fallback levels.
• Brake-by-Wire
  Direct electrical signals drive electro-hydraulic or all-electric brake actuators. TÜV-certified, ASIL-D validated, designed with multi-circuit architecture for fail-operational behavior.

• Throttle-by-Wire
  The accelerator pedal functions as a sensor. The engine control unit receives inputs via ASIL-compliant signal paths with diagnostic functions and watchdog mechanisms.

Rethinking Human-Machine Interaction

Drive-by-Wire not only transforms the technical architecture but also the driver’s experience.

• Classical force-feedback steering wheel, joystick, or assistive controls – all options are supported.
• Barrier-free interfaces enable new mobility solutions for people with physical impairments.

• Force feedback provides realistic driving feel – even without a mechanical linkage, with customizable steering angles.

The “Direct Line” – What It Really Means

NX NextMotion connects control units directly to actuators. No servo pump, no gear set, no hydraulic line. Instead: high-speed communication via Automotive Ethernet, SAFE-CAN, and validated interfaces. This ensures real-time precision in signal transmission, safeguarded by multi-layer redundancy.

Why Drive-by-Wire Is the Future

• Design flexibility: no restrictions from steering shafts or hydraulic lines
• Redundant safety: fault isolation and automatic ECU switchover
• OTA-capable: remote deployment of software updates and security patches
• Autonomy-ready: fundamental enabler for autonomous and teleoperated driving

• User-centric: supports individual control needs and enables barrier-free mobility

Conclusion

NX NextMotion is not a prototype – it is a TÜV-certified, production-ready system, fully validated for integration today. While conventional approaches still rely on mechanical redundancy, Arnold NextG offers a fully digital, fail-operational architecture – forming the backbone of the next generation of autonomous and teleoperated vehicles.

We control what moves.