Patent ID: 7546896

Claim:
A vehicle steering apparatus comprising: an actuator for applying an axial torque to a steering column shaft; a torque sensor disposed on the steering column shaft between an input portion of the actuator and a steering wheel, the torque sensor configured to detect a steering torque; a turn angle sensor for detecting a turn angle of the steering column shaft; and a controller connected for signal communication with the actuator, the torque sensor and the turn angle sensor, and confirgured to: calculate an additional steering torque at least in accordance with the detected turn angle; calculate a steering wheel side torque as a sum of the detected steering torque and the additional steering torque, wherein the steering wheel side torque is defined as a torque applied to the steering wheel; determine a target turn angle of the steering column shaft in accordance with the steering wheel side torque by using a steering model that represents a desired steering characteristic; and control the axial torque of the actuator so as to allow the detected turn angle of the steering column shaft to follow the target turn angle.