Chassis Autonomy and the EIC Accelerator: Steering by Wire

Chassis Autonomy, based in Trollhättan and founded by CEO Peter Johansson, develops steer-by-wire road wheel actuators designed to keep steering a vehicle even if a component fails. Its EIC application said it had "developed the first fail-operational steer-by-wire system, which is suitable for fully autonomous vehicles", and sought EIC support "to finalize our technology and go to market in two years", according to CORDIS.

The European Innovation Council granted €2,497,305 towards a €3.57 million project from May 2023 to April 2025. The final report describes an A-sample actuator released in September 2023, delivered to customer projects for test rigs, and a B-sample with serial-intent electronics released in May 2024, plus new test rigs and 18 patent filings. Its stated goal was a system "demonstrated in customer vehicles, design validated and in the process of production validation". On 12 August 2025 Kongsberg Automotive, which already owned 25%, exercised a call option to buy the remaining 75%, according to its announcement.

Where Chassis Autonomy Stands Now

Chassis Autonomy is a wholly owned subsidiary of Kongsberg Automotive, the Norwegian listed supplier, and continues to operate in Trollhättan. Kongsberg called the deal "a strategic bid on steer-by-wire" arising from "a long-standing and successful collaboration", and cited an estimate that the steer-by-wire market could reach €3.5 billion by 2035. It now markets steer-by-wire on its own website. No production contract for the actuator has been announced.

The Technology: No Single Point of Failure

Steer-by-wire replaces the mechanical link between steering wheel and wheels with electronics. For cars without a driver, the steering must keep working if something fails. Chassis Autonomy replaced the rack-and-pinion and belt drive with a concentric direct drive that it says eliminates all single-point failures and lasts up to three times longer than conventional systems.

What the EIC Project Promised, and What CORDIS Shows

The project aimed for a system demonstrated in customer vehicles, design-validated and moving into production validation. The report documents two sample generations, test rigs and customer test-rig deliveries, and says customer vehicle use was planned for the second half of 2024. It does not confirm vehicle demonstrations or production validation, and parts of the final report still describe 2024 plans in the future tense. CORDIS lists the project as closed.

1. A- and B-sample actuatorsDeliveredReleased 2023-24.
2. Test and validation rigsDeliveredPer report.
3. Customer vehicle demosUnverifiedPlanned, not confirmed.
4. Production validationUnverifiedNot reported.

The Money

Kongsberg Automotive did not disclose what it paid for the 75% stake. The report said further debt or equity financing would be needed for production facilities once serial contracts were signed. Whether the EIC Fund invested under the blended award, and Chassis Autonomy's revenue, are not public.

What Cannot Be Checked

Why Europe Should Care

The report says global steering suppliers have failed to bring steer-by-wire to market. The EIC backed a Swedish challenger, and its technology stays in Europe under a Norwegian automotive supplier with global reach.

The Verdict

Chassis Autonomy, Kongsberg Automotive and the EIC have not been asked for comment for this article. It is based entirely on public records and published statements, linked throughout.