The problem with computer control of everything is when the computer goes haywire (or whiskers - which is a real and known problem in electronics, not just cars) is that a whacky computer will refuse to obey driver commands... What is needed, and what will eventually be in all cars, is a mechanically operated disconnect at the drivers hand that will physically interrupt computer commands to the fuel injector system - and leave the engine idling through a separate controller for steering and brakes... It is only going to become more critical when electrical steering goes completely fly by wire through the CPU...
Well, just to put it in perspective, think that you are driving a mini AirBus - now that ought to make you feel all warm and fuzzy...
denny-o
That's silly. Stick it in neutral and let it rev up to the electronic rev limiter. There's no additional controls required. They're already there.
It won't break the engine in the time required to pull over from highway speeds. It'll hit the redline, drop, redline, drop, until the cows come home in a modern car. Redline is meaningless on a modern tach, the driver can't exceed it if they want to.
Then shut the thing off after you're stopped.
Try it. See if you can rev your engine past redline in any modern family car. If you don't believe me, try it in a rental. Haha.
As far as steering goes, the only reason to make steering fully fly by wire in cars is to save space or weight for something other than the steering mechanism. The disadvantages in making things too tight under the hood are massive complaints from owners and mechanics that simple jobs now take many more hours of shop time which negatively impacts the perceived value of the vehicle. So it typically doesn't get done. It's not practical.
Any controllability issues are done via "steering assist" add ons, or differential braking combined with throttle control, and rarely by changing to complete fly by wire. It would raise cost significantly for no distinct return on investment in any other than marginal ways.
Modern "traction control" usually modulates the brakes and throttle to affect direction changes in sideways acceleration.
My wife's Jetta wagon, for example, will modulate the rear brakes to straighten a skid while also ignoring a full throttle input if any tires lose traction, especially the front drive wheels. It'll basically whip the vehicle straight without a need for any connection to the steering at all.
You can try to oversteer it or under steer it while it's trying to correct the skid and it'll adjust via accelerometer data, faster than you can attempt to fool it. I've gotten it to skid more than 2' sideways with the rear end only once, and I was trying really hard in an empty parking lot. On snow, it can be coaxed into sliding out but it often limits the slide to about its own width in back unless you just crank it over in slick conditions. It's pretty smart code.
It also handles loss of traction on only one side on the front drive wheels very well. It has no way to only apply power to one side only like some systems but it knows how to apply braking to the appropriate side to utilize the differential as an energy transfer mechanism. It also modulates the throttle to lower the torque being applied to the spinning wheel overall. It'll climb an icy hill with the accelerator on the floor and the engine will spool up, back off, brakes forcing it to track straight at each spinout, as it goes from low throttle to spin out speed, and back. I believe it also up shifts and "lugs" the engine a bit in this condition, but don't hold me to that one.
So, not much need for a full fly by wire steering. It's being essentially done anyway buy other cheaper methods.
