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Infiniti Q50 steer-by-wire system took 10 years to develop [w/video]

Infiniti's Direct Adaptive Steering (DAS) is quite a novelty - the system employs no physical connection between the steering wheel and the front wheels under normal circumstances and instead relies on a computer, clutch and steering-angle actuator to guide vehicles down the road with input from the driver.
In our First Drive review of a 2014 Infiniti Q50 equipped with the system, we weren't overly impressed by the artificial feedback. But we can't help but be impressed with how long Infiniti spent on its development: a full 10 years, according to Autoline Daily in the video report below. A staggering 70 percent of the research and development time spent on DAS was devoted to getting the steering feel right, and unfortunately, our first impression suggests their results still leave something to be desired, as we found it lacked the sporty feeling a sport sedan should have.
The weight of DAS is comparable to that of a conventional steering system due to its complexity. For example, three ECUs are used in the first-generation DAS system to ensure there's never a loss of steering, but Infiniti is refining the technology and is working to simplify it to reduce weight. One day Infiniti hopes that only one ECU will be needed to control DAS. We just hope it doesn't take the Japanese automaker another ten years to get the steering feel right.

Infiniti Q50 Active Lane control is scarily self-driving

Occasionally, we post videos that require us to tell you not to try something at home. They usually involve some unsafe activity that requires a high-degree of skill and planning to achieve. This video, though, gets a more interesting disclaimer: Don't ever try this. Ever. Never ever. Period. Seriously, don't try it.
Some clowns in Germany decided to put the Infiniti Q50's Active Lane Control system to the test. For those not in the know, ALC can make small adjustments to keep the vehicle in the correct lane, a feature that's just starting to pick up steam. Instead of using it the way you're supposed to - with both hands on the wheel - these guys not only take both hands off the steering, but at one point climb out of the seat while traveling at freeway speeds, just to see how automated the combination of ALC and adaptive cruise control really are.
Yes, we've seen this sort of stunt before, but it was done in extremely controlled circumstances that didn't put the cars, the driver or any other motorists at risk and probably had appropriate emergency personnel on hand should the worst happen.

Infiniti Q50 Eau Rouge running prototype driven by Sebastian Vettel

Infiniti's high-performance Q50 Eau Rouge concept might be one of the biggest teases in the current automotive world. It was first shown at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show as a body without an engine. Then, the sports sedan arrived at the Geneva Motor Show with a modified version of the turbocharged V6 from the GT-R under the hood, tuned to 560 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque, and with all-wheel drive. However, it was still just a concept. Finally, the Japanese luxury automaker is showing us what the Eau Rouge can do on the road - briefly.
The company brought reigning Formula One champ Sebastian Vettel along to get behind the wheel, for this all-too-short video from the Millbrook Proving Ground in the UK. There's more good news too. While Infiniti isn't saying that it's definitely going to build the Eau Rouge, it is "pressing ahead with the evaluation." More info about these tests will be released at the 2014 Beijing Auto Show at the end of April. Scroll down to watch Vettel drive the Q50 Eau Rouge and read a little more about it.