The renewed Mercedes-Benz EQS will optionally feature a new steer-by-wire steering wheel

Ever since Lexus announced a steering wheel with steer-by-wire on its electric RZ, and Tesla did the same with its Cybertruck, quite some time has passed without news of this innovative technology appearing on any other model on the market.

Mercedes-Benz has finally followed that same path with the next renewed version of its EQS luxury saloon, and according to some of those who have already tested an early prototype of this new model, the implementation of this technology by the German manufacturer is probably the best.

For anyone who doesn’t know what this technology involves, with the wire-based steering known popularly as steer-by-wire, the turning of the wheels no longer depends on a physical mechanical connection between the steering wheel and the steering rack. Instead, it is transmitted through electrical signals along a cable. By eliminating that traditional link, engineers gain enormous freedom to modify how the vehicle behaves.

Parking manually has never been so easy

One of the main advantages is that the steering ratio becomes infinitely variable. In a normal car, that ratio is fixed at the factory. With steer-by-wire, by contrast, it can change depending on speed and driving mode, adapting instantly to what the driver needs. The result is that the steering wheel’s turning is drastically reduced when performing tricky manoeuvres, which makes driving noticeably easier and more relaxed.

With the introduction of steer-by-wire technology, Mercedes-Benz has also developed a new, more compact and ergonomic steering wheel shaped like a yoke. Something that would have been very inadvisable with a conventional steering system.

As for this new wheel, those who have already had the chance to try it say it completely changes the driving experience, since it allows a more relaxed drive that requires much less effort. You simply point towards where you want to go and the car responds naturally.

The steering response is genuinely quick, with no lag between the moment we begin turning the wheel and the moment the wheels start moving in one direction or the other. One of the main criticisms from detractors of this technology is thus completely forgotten. In fact, the nose seems to anticipate your intentions at the wheel, diving into corners with an eagerness that is addictive.

Mercedes-Benz has also integrated a pair of electric motors into its steer-by-wire steering system, which are responsible for simulating the feeling a conventional steering system gives of being in direct contact with the road. An improvement that is essential for convincing the most sceptical of the merits of this technology.

The fortunate few who have had the chance to try Mercedes-Benz’s new steer-by-wire steering wheel conclude their assessment by saying that after driving with it for a while, when they later return to a vehicle with conventional steering, the first sensation is of being at the controls of an obsolete vehicle. Mercedes-Benz has thus managed to make this technology offer considerable advantages, rather than being merely a marketing gimmick that attracts plenty of attention but that nobody ends up buying.