Over the last decade, almost every automaker has switched from hydraulically assisted power steering to electrically assisted power assist, or EPAS. Though EPAS has improved dramatically in the past few years, its primary drawback is a lack of feel or feedback.

But EPAS provides a huge amount of benefits, including the car’s ability to selfdrive or selfpark. EPAS enables lanekeep assist, crosswind compensation, roadcrown compensation, antinibble or antivibration filtration, and a ton of other driver assistance functions. EPAS saves fuel relative to a hydraulic system because it consumes no energy unless it’s assisting in turning the wheels — hydraulic systems use a highpressure pump that’s running all the time. EPAS can be used in electric vehicles and in hybrid cars when the engine is switched off. It’s cheaper, easier to tune, and more reliable. And removing highly flammable powersteering fluid from the car provides a safety benefit by reducing the chance of fire.

Now that Ferrari has finally switched to EPAS, McLaren is a holdout using hydraulic steering, and its cars now have the best, most talkative steering in the world. Bravo — some things are just worth the risk.

“Proper Care & Feeding of Cars” is a techsplainer series hosted by automotive journalist Jason Cammisa. Using equal measures of science, humor, and just plain common sense, it aims to help enthusiasts become the best car experts they can be. Covering everything from carcare to advanced driving techniques, new episodes of PC&F will debut regularly on ISSIMI’s YouTube and Instagram channels, as well as the @JasonCammisa Insta.