Steer-by-wire, a technology once reserved for flagship models priced above 400,000 yuan, has made a dramatic leap into the mainstream. The newly launched IM LS6, a mid-size electric SUV from SAIC-backed IM Motors, comes with steer-by-wire as standard equipment starting at 197,900 yuan (about $27,900). This price breakthrough, reported by Chinese outlet D1EV, marks a significant step in making advanced chassis technology accessible to a wider audience.
From Black Box to White Box: How IM Cut Costs
The price drop is not a simple discount but the result of a fundamental engineering and organizational overhaul. IM Motors' CTO, Xiang Jiao, explained that traditional suppliers provide a "black box"—they deliver performance and price but keep the internal workings secret. IM, leveraging SAIC's 70 years of automotive experience, has adopted a "white box" approach, developing all components in-house. This eliminates the premium charged by suppliers and gives IM control over technology and costs.
The reorganization goes deeper. In 2023, IM restructured its chassis department into a Vehicle Motion Control (VMC) organization, unifying the control of electric braking, suspension, steering, and rear-wheel steering under a single "cerebellum" model. This integration, according to Pei Yichen, technical director of IM's VMC division, prevents the conflicts that arise when each electronic control unit operates independently. SAIC's central technical center has also established a VMC team, aligning all group-level chassis development efforts.
Cost reduction also came from meticulous attention to detail. The product manager, Fu Yuchen, initially wanted to include a 4D mechanical massage seat from the flagship LS9, but the project manager, Gong Jiasen, rejected it because the mechanical structure would add 40-50 mm to the seatback, eating into rear legroom. A cross-functional team redesigned the massage ball head and lever arm, reducing the seatback thickness by 13 mm, making it standard on the LS6. "These 13 mm are not to be underestimated," Gong said, noting the redesign also improved massage range and vibration adjustments based on female user feedback.
Safety in a World Without a Mechanical Link
With the mechanical connection between the steering wheel and wheels removed, safety is paramount. Pei Yichen argues that with proper redundancy, steer-by-wire can be safer than traditional systems. He cites aviation history: fly-by-wire controls, introduced 40 years ago, reduced accident rates by over 90%. IM's system features "aviation-grade triple redundancy," with independent backups for power supply, communication, and actuator motors. In the event of a failure, the backup takes over in milliseconds, and the system uses multi-source data to verify driver intent.
The new LS6 also benefits from SynVector, a torque vectoring control system that can correct the vehicle within 20 milliseconds—10 times faster than a human—in emergencies like a blowout or sudden crosswind. "Safety is something we hope users never need, but we still insist on doing our best," Xiang Jiao said.
Beyond safety, steer-by-wire improves daily driving. The LS6 has a turning radius of just 4.49 meters, allowing a U-turn with only half a turn of the steering wheel, a boon in tight parking lots.
The LS6 is more than just steer-by-wire. It features IM's NEO three-electric architecture, with energy consumption of 12.7 kWh per 100 km, an 800V platform supporting 396 kW fast charging (15 minutes for 500 km of range), and a CATL 93 kWh battery pack offering a CLTC range of 782 km (WLTP est. 626-664 km). The cabin includes a 4D massage seat, B&O audio, and a smart refrigerator as standard. The IM AD Zeta driver assistance system, developed with Momenta, includes a driver incapacitation feature that can autonomously pull over if the driver loses control.
This systemic "technology democratization" is part of IM's NEXT·2028 strategy, which aims to bring advanced technology to mainstream customers ahead of the curve. As D1EV notes, the LS6 is not just a car but a case study in how technology can become an industry standard, not a luxury option.
