| 主权项 |
1. A method of controlling a steering device including a pair of rack bars capable of steering right and left wheels in one and/or the other of opposite right and left directions, respectively, and a coupling mechanism disposed between the pair of rack bars and including an engaging part provided on a side of one rack bar of the pair of rack bars, and a receiving part provided on a side of the other rack bar of the pair of rack bars, the steering device being configured such that when the engaging part and the receiving part are coupled to each other, the pair of rack bars are moved in one or the other of the opposite right and left directions by a same distance by the coupling mechanism, and when the engaging part and the receiving part are uncoupled from each other, the pair of rack bars are moved in the respective opposite right and left directions by a same distance,
the method comprising: applying, to the coupling mechanism, a command to either couple the engaging part and the receiving part to each other, or uncouple the engaging part and the receiving part from each other; and performing a relative driving operation in which at least one of the engaging part and the receiving part are driven relative to the other of the engaging part and the receiving part with at least one steering drive arrangement, if a coupling state sensor provided at the coupling mechanism fails to sense that the engaging part has been coupled to or uncoupled from the receiving part when a predetermined time has passed after the command is applied. |
