A steering system (10) and a method of dampening the forces transmitted
to a steering wheel (20) of a vehicle when a steerable wheel (22)
of the vehicle collides with an obstacle using the steering system (10).
The method includes steering a vehicle via a steering wheel (20) operably
connected to a steerable wheel (22), with the steering wheel (20)
defining an input angle. The method also includes monitoring the rate of change
of a steering angle (40) as defined by the steerable wheel (22),
with the ratio of the input angle to the steering angle (40) defining a
steering ratio. The method further includes reducing an amount of torque transmitted
to the steering wheel (20) from the steerable wheel (22) when the
rate of change of the steering angle (40) exceeds a maximum rate by adjusting
the steering ratio (40).