Patent ID: 6471218
Filing Date: 2002-10-29
Classification: B60G

Abstract:
A suspension system for connecting a wheel to a sprung part of a vehicle, the wheel being arranged to contact the ground with a contact force which controls a level of adhesion between the wheel and the ground, the system including: a movable part of the suspension system which can move relative to said sprung part thereby to allow vertical travel of the wheel; an actuator arranged to produce an actuator force between said sprung part and said movable part; a cornering sensor arranged to detect predetermined cornering conditions of the vehicle; and a controller, wherein the controller is arranged, in the event of detection of said predetermined cornering conditions, to promote lateral slipping of the wheel by producing a rapid variation in said actuator force so as to produce a pulsing of said contact force causing a reduction in said level of adhesion, so as to control the steering characteristics of the vehicle.