What Vehicles Use Drive-by-Wire Today

Many modern vehicles—from everyday cars and motorcycles to heavy trucks, race cars, and even aircraft—use some form of drive-by-wire. In passenger cars, electronic throttle control is now near-universal, brake-by-wire is common (especially in hybrids and EVs), shift-by-wire is widespread, and true steer-by-wire exists on a handful of production models.

What “drive-by-wire” means

Drive-by-wire replaces mechanical or hydraulic linkages with electronic sensors, controllers, and actuators. Common variants include throttle-by-wire (accelerator pedal to engine/motor), brake-by-wire (pedal to braking force, often blending regeneration), shift-by-wire (electronic gear selection), and steer-by-wire (steering wheel to road wheels). Most vehicles mix these systems: it’s normal for a car to be throttle- and brake-by-wire without being steer-by-wire.

Where you’ll find drive-by-wire on the road

Throttle-by-wire in mainstream cars and SUVs

Electronic throttle control has been standard practice for years, allowing better emissions control, stability systems, and smooth integration with cruise control and driver-assistance features. The examples below illustrate the breadth of adoption rather than a complete list.

• Most mass-market models since the mid-2000s: Toyota Camry/Corolla, Honda Civic/Accord, Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado, Volkswagen Golf, Hyundai Elantra/Sonata, Kia Sportage/Sorento, Nissan Rogue/Altima.
• Premium and performance cars for decades: BMW 3/5 Series, Mercedes-Benz C/E-Class, Audi A4/A6, Porsche 911.
• All modern battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs): Tesla lineup, Hyundai Ioniq 5/6, Kia EV6, Ford Mustang Mach‑E, Volkswagen ID.3/ID.4, Chevrolet Blazer EV, BMW i4/iX, Mercedes EQ models, Porsche Taycan, Audi e‑tron GT.

In practice, if your car was built in roughly the last 15–20 years, it almost certainly uses throttle-by-wire.

Brake-by-wire in hybrids, EVs, and performance cars

Brake-by-wire ranges from electro‑hydraulic systems with a pedal simulator (common in hybrids/EVs to blend regenerative and friction braking) to high-performance integrated brake units. The following vehicles are notable, widely documented examples.

• Tesla Model 3/Model Y/Model S/Model X (Bosch iBooster electro‑hydraulic systems with regen blending).
• Porsche Taycan and Audi e‑tron GT (electro‑hydraulic brake-by-wire enabling seamless regeneration/friction blending).
• Ford Mustang Mach‑E and F‑150 Lightning (iBooster-based brake-by-wire with strong regen integration).
• Hyundai Ioniq 5/6 and Kia EV6 (Integrated Electronic Brake/IEB systems from Hyundai Mobis).
• Volkswagen ID.3/ID.4 and other MEB-platform EVs (integrated, electronically controlled braking systems).
• Alfa Romeo Giulia/Stelvio (Continental Integrated Brake System, commonly described as brake-by-wire).
• Chevrolet Corvette C8 (electronically controlled “e‑boost” braking paired with Brembo hardware).
• Ferrari SF90 Stradale and 296 GTB (by‑wire brake blending to manage high levels of regen and friction braking).
• Toyota/Lexus hybrids across multiple generations (electronically controlled brake systems that blend regen and friction).

Because regenerative braking management requires precise electronic control, brake-by-wire is effectively standard on modern hybrids and EVs and increasingly common on performance ICE vehicles.

Steer-by-wire in production cars (still rare)

True steer-by-wire removes the constant mechanical link between the steering wheel and the road wheels, relying on electric motors and redundancy; some systems include a fail-safe clutch that can reconnect a physical link. Only a few mass-produced models offer it.

• Infiniti Q50 and Q60 (Direct Adaptive Steering; electronic control with a mechanical backup clutch for fail-safe operation).
• Lexus RZ 450e with the One Motion Grip yoke (steer‑by‑wire option in select markets; availability varies by region and model year).

Most vehicles use electric power steering but retain a mechanical rack; that’s not steer-by-wire. If a model isn’t specifically marketed with steer‑by‑wire, assume it remains mechanically linked.

Shift-by-wire across segments

Shift-by-wire replaces a physical linkage with electronic selectors, enabling compact controls, safety interlocks, and remote mounting of gear selectors. It’s now common across ICE, hybrid, and electric platforms.

• Numerous models with electronic joysticks, rotary dials, or push-buttons: BMW (joystick selectors), Ram/Chrysler/Jeep (rotary dials on many trims), Hyundai/Kia/Genesis (push-button or stalk), Tesla (screen or stalk-based selection depending on model/year), many Mercedes-Benz and Ford models.

The prevalence of electronic selectors reflects how widely shift-by-wire has been adopted, even when the rest of the driveline remains conventional.

Beyond passenger cars

Motorcycles

Modern sport and adventure motorcycles frequently use ride-by-wire throttles to enable modes, traction control, and advanced rider aids.

• Yamaha YZF‑R1 and MT‑10, Ducati Panigale V4 and Multistrada, BMW S1000RR, KTM 1290 Super Duke R, Aprilia RSV4 (among many others).

While throttle‑by‑wire is common on bikes, braking and steering remain mechanically/hydraulically linked, augmented by ABS and stability control.

Heavy trucks and buses

Commercial vehicles have long used electronic controls for throttle and braking, especially in Europe where electro‑pneumatic braking (EBS) is mature.

• European heavy trucks and coaches with EBS from Knorr‑Bremse/WABCO (e.g., Mercedes‑Benz Actros, Volvo FH/FM, Scania R/S series, MAN TGX/TGS).
• Modern diesel engines with electronic throttle control across North American and European fleets.

These systems improve braking response, stability control integration, and fleet diagnostics versus purely pneumatic or mechanical setups.

Racing and automated platforms

Motorsport and robotics often adopt by‑wire early to enable precise control strategies and redundancy.

• Formula 1: rear brake‑by‑wire mandated since the hybrid era began in 2014 to manage energy recovery.
• Endurance prototypes and many GT race cars: sophisticated brake‑by‑wire and electronic throttle systems.
• Autonomous test mules and shuttle platforms: full by‑wire control to allow computer actuation of throttle, brake, and steering.

These applications showcase by‑wire’s control advantages and inform technology that later reaches production vehicles.

Marine and aerospace

Outside road transport, by‑wire is mainstream where long cable runs and precise control are critical.

• Boats: digital throttle-and-shift (DTS) systems such as Mercury DTS and Yamaha Helm Master EX on many outboards and sterndrives.
• Airliners and modern military aircraft: fly‑by‑wire flight controls on Airbus A320/A330/A350/A380 families and Boeing 777/787, among others.

These sectors demonstrate decades of operational experience with safety‑critical by‑wire architectures and redundancy.

How to tell if your vehicle uses drive-by-wire

Several quick checks can reveal which by‑wire systems your vehicle uses without specialized tools.

• Throttle: look for an electronic accelerator pedal module with wiring but no mechanical cable to the throttle body; your owner’s manual may call it “Electronic Throttle Control (ETC).”
• Brakes: hybrids/EVs almost always have brake‑by‑wire; terms like “iBooster,” “Integrated Brake System,” or “regenerative braking blend” are telltales. A firm, consistent pedal feel during heavy regen is another clue.
• Steering: true steer‑by‑wire is marketed explicitly (e.g., Infiniti Direct Adaptive Steering, Lexus One Motion Grip). Electric power steering alone does not mean steer‑by‑wire.
• Shifter: electronic joysticks, rotary dials, or push‑buttons (with no mechanical linkage) indicate shift‑by‑wire.

For certainty, consult the owner’s manual or service documentation, which will name the specific systems and components.

Why it matters

Drive-by-wire enables features consumers expect—advanced driver assistance, seamless regenerative braking, driving modes, and packaging flexibility—while introducing new design and maintenance considerations.

• Benefits: smoother integration of ADAS and stability control, better efficiency via regen, faster brake response, flexible interior packaging, and over‑the‑air tunability.
• Considerations: dependence on software and sensors, need for redundancy and fail‑safe design, specialized diagnostics/servicing, and model‑specific feel calibration.

Overall, by‑wire has matured into a reliable foundation for electrification and automation, provided it’s engineered with robust redundancy and clear human‑machine interfaces.

Summary

Drive‑by‑wire is now a core part of modern vehicles. Nearly all late‑model cars use throttle‑by‑wire; hybrids, EVs, and many performance models rely on brake‑by‑wire; shift‑by‑wire is commonplace; and true steer‑by‑wire, while still rare, appears on select production cars such as the Infiniti Q50/Q60 and Lexus RZ in certain markets. Beyond passenger cars, motorcycles, heavy trucks, race cars, boats, and airliners all use by‑wire controls in various forms, reflecting the technology’s broad adoption and ongoing evolution.

Do new cars have drive-by-wire?

What do cars like the Tesla Cybertruck, a Lexus RZ and most of Ferrari’s line-up have in common? They’re all production cars that use ‘drive-by-wire’ technology – engineering and software that enables control of a car’s movement without the need for a physical engineering.

Which cars have fly by wire brakes?

Ford, General Motors, and most other manufacturers use the same general design, with the exception of Honda, who designed a notably different design. Brake-by-wire is used in most common hybrid and electric vehicles produced since 1998 including all Toyota, Ford, and General Motors Electric and hybrid models.

Are all cars drive-by-wire now?

While no full drive-by-wire vehicles exist, manufacturers like General Motors, Mazda, Toyota, Mercedes, and especially Tesla have been implementing drive-by-wire tech in their vehicles for years.

What vehicles are drive-by-wire?

Drive-by-wire is a general automotive term encompassing electronic throttle control, brake-by-wire, and steer-by-wire systems. While most cars since the late 1980s have had drive-by-wire for the throttle, steer-by-wire and brake-by-wire are newer technologies found in some electric and hybrid models, including the Tesla Cybertruck, Chevrolet Silverado EV, Rolls-Royce Spectre, and Lexus RZ 450e. 
Drive-by-Wire for Throttle 

• What it is: Electronic throttle control, also known as “drive-by-wire,” eliminates the mechanical cable linking the accelerator pedal to the throttle body, replacing it with electronic sensors and actuators.
• Availability: This system has been standard in most vehicles since the late 1980s, including all hybrid and electric models, as well as many gasoline cars.

Steer-by-Wire Systems 

• What it is: Steer-by-wire removes the mechanical linkage between the steering wheel and the steering rack, relying on sensors and electronic motors to control the wheels.
• Notable vehicles:
  • Tesla Cybertruck: This vehicle uses a steer-by-wire system without a traditional steering column.
  • Rolls-Royce Spectre: Features a rear-axle steer-by-wire system with a conventional front-wheel steering column.
  • Lotus Eletre & GMC Hummer EV: Both use rear-axle steer-by-wire systems.
  • Chevrolet Silverado EV & Ford F-150 Lightning: These electric trucks also incorporate steer-by-wire technology.
  • Lexus RZ 450e: A planned production vehicle with a no-steering-column steer-by-wire system.
  • Toyota bZ4X & Geely Super Van: Also planned to feature no-steering-column steer-by-wire systems.

Brake-by-Wire Systems 

• What it is: Similar to other by-wire technologies, this system replaces the hydraulic brake system with electronic controls and electric motors.
• Availability: Widely used in most hybrid and electric vehicles produced since 1998, including models from Toyota, Ford, and General Motors.