•  The steering gear is joined to the steering shaft through the intermediate shaft.

•  In a collision, the intermediate shaft is crushed as the steering gear moves rearward, thereby absorbing the impact.

•  If the driver's body hits the steering wheel, the force applied to the steering wheel is transmitted through the inner shaft, outer column, and fixing bracket. As a result, the fixing bracket is disengaged from the dashboard, and the whole steering shaft will move forward. At this moment, the U-shaped plate, which is fixed to the dashboard at one end and held by the fixing bracket at the other, will deform and absorb the impact.