Patent ID: 8615348

Claim:
A regulation method for a controllable energy absorber in a steering system in a motor vehicle, wherein in the energy absorber a current flow in a coil can be regulated, which controls the viscosity of a magnetorheological fluid of the controllable energy absorber, wherein during an accident the energy absorber acts as a hydraulic damper between two parts movable with respect to one another, whose damping force is determined, by the current flow through the magnetic coil, the method comprising: determining, continuously or at intervals, a relative velocity, in a longitudinal direction, between a first part of the steering column movable with the steering wheel and a second part of the steering column fixed to the vehicle body, calculating an acceleration required for braking from the determined relative velocity to a standstill up to an end of a travel path, and calculating the current flow from the calculated acceleration in such a way that the value of the calculated acceleration is approximately reached during further travel of the parts movable with respect to one another.