Patent ID: 8478485

Claim:
An electric power steering apparatus that, by use of driving force of a motor, reduces steering torque, on a steering system, that is exerted by a driver of a vehicle via a steering wheel, the electric power steering apparatus comprising: a steering torque detector that detects the steering torque and outputs a steering torque signal corresponding to the steering torque; a first filtering unit that applies filtering processing to the steering torque signal outputted from the steering torque detector and outputs the steering torque signal obtained through the filtering processing; a control unit that receives the steering torque signal outputted from the first filtering unit and outputs a motor drive signal based on the inputted steering torque signal; a second filtering unit that applies filtering processing to the steering torque signal outputted from the steering torque detector and outputs the steering torque signal obtained through the filtering processing; an interlock unit that receives the steering torque signal outputted from the second filtering unit and outputs a motor drive inhibition signal, configured to limit drive of the motor, based on the inputted steering torque signal; and a motor drive unit that drives the motor, based on the motor drive signal outputted from the control unit and the motor drive inhibition signal outputted from the interlock unit, wherein the second filtering unit is configured to reduce the difference between the steering torque signal that is inputted from the first filtering unit to the control unit and the steering torque signal that is inputted from the second filtering unit to the interlock unit.