The rear of the Audi Q8 SUV.
Modern Audi sedans and SUVs are some of the most advanced in the automotive industry today.
They are packed full of tech like magnetorheological dampers, progressive steering and an immersive digital cockpit.
One standout area is dynamic all-wheel steering.
When you turn the steering wheel on your car, only the front wheels respond to that command.
However on Audi models like the new A6, A8 and Q8, the rear wheels turn too.
This new rear-wheel steering has the effect of shortening the car’s wheelbase, making it easier to thread through tight spaces and narrow carparks.
How does Audi’s all-wheel steering work?
Dynamic all-wheel steering allows the steering angle of the front and rear wheels to be adjusted independently.
At the rear axle is a steering system containing an electrical spindle drive and two track rods.
They activate to turn the wheels a few degrees in the same or opposite direction relative to the front wheels, depending on the car’s speed.
At low speeds, the rear wheels turn in the opposite direction to the front wheels.
That reduces the car’s turning circle by about one metre, making the car more agile.
The rear-wheel steering is most significantly felt when manoeuvring the car through tight spaces like HDB carparks or parking gantries.
At higher speeds around 60km/h, the rear wheels follow the direction of the front wheels.
Turning all the wheels in the same direction improves on the steering response and further increases stability in evasive manoeuvres, Audi says.
Next up is dynamic all-wheel steering.
That means the steering system on the front axle can vary its ratio depending on the driving situation.
Through the combination of dynamic steering and rear axle steering, the overall steering ratio can be varied from 9.5:1 to 17.0:1.
That helps the car feel more nimble by enabling the driver to navigate obstacles at low speeds without much wheel-twirling, and to instill more confidence at higher speeds.
