[Problem]
An object of the present invention is to provide an electric power steering apparatus that is capable of realizing a smooth steering wheel returning control by the correction based on a steering torque in which vehicle characteristics are considered and a vehicle speed even in the case of steering intervention by a driver in a straight-advancing running state.
[Means for solving the problem]
An electric power steering apparatus comprising a steering wheel returning control section for driving a motor by means of a compensation current command value that comprises a target returning torque calculating section which calculates a target returning torque based on a steering angle and a vehicle speed, a correcting section which corrects the target returning torque with a steering torque and an assist torque, a steering system characteristic section which multiplies by a transmission characteristic corresponding to a virtual steering system characteristic based on a correction torque and a viscosity coefficient, a steering wheel returning control gain calculating section which multiplies a deviation between a target steering angle speed and an actual steering angle speed from the steering system characteristic section by a vehicle speed gain and a steering torque gain to obtain a steering wheel returning control gain, and a steering wheel returning control current calculating section which performs control calculation with respect to the steering wheel returning control gain, performs an output limit in response to the vehicle speed gain and the steering torque gain, and obtain a steering wheel returning control current.