Patent ID: 7130728

Claim:
A steering apparatus used in a vehicle having a steering wheel and a steering rod, the apparatus comprising: a steering mechanism mechanically unconnected with the steering wheel, wherein the steering mechanism includes a plurality of steering actuators for actuating the steering rod, and a plurality of counter force actuators for applying steering counter force to the steering wheel; a plurality of control systems, wherein each control system controls at least one of the steering actuators and at least one of the counter force actuators, wherein each control system includes at least one detecting means, which detects a physical quantity related to the control of the steering mechanism and generates a detection signal representing the physical quantity, and control means, which controls the corresponding steering actuator and the corresponding counter force actuator in accordance with the detection signal; determining means for determining whether there is an abnormality in each control system, wherein, in accordance with a determination result of the determining means, normally functioning one of the control systems controls the corresponding steering actuator and the corresponding counter force actuator; and adding means, wherein, when the determining means determines that there is an abnormality in any one of the control systems, the adding means causes at least one of the steering mechanism and the steering wheel to behave in a manner different from that when all the systems are functioning normally.