Patent ID: 7698035

Claim:
A steering control apparatus, comprising: a steering wheel; steered wheels mechanically disconnected from the steering wheel; a direction varying actuator to operate the steered wheels; a steering reaction actuator to apply steering reaction torque to the steering wheel; a steering controller configured to output a control command to the direction varying actuator for applying a direction varying torque to the steered wheels in accordance with the steering status of the steering wheel; and a backup mechanism disposed between the steering wheel and the steered wheels to permit mechanical connection and disconnection of the steering wheel and the steered wheels; wherein the steering controller is configured to output a control command to the steering reaction actuator for applying a steering reaction torque to the steering wheel in accordance with the direction varying status of the steered wheels; the steering controller is configured to gradually increase the steering reaction torque with the lapse of time when the direction varying angle of the steered wheels reaches the vicinity of the maximum direction varying angle; and the steering controller is configured to, when a target direction varying angle generated from a steering angle reaches the vicinity of the maximum direction varying angle of the steered wheels, selectively perform a backup control process of outputting a mechanical connection command to the backup mechanism and selectively perform a steering reaction torque correcting control process of gradually increasing the steering reaction torque with the lapse of time during a period of time from the mechanical connection command to completion of the mechanical connection.