A method of operating a motor vehicle includes sensing a sensed torque based on a driver interaction with a steering wheel that is part of an electric power steering system, the sensed torque being sensed using a torque sensor, calculating driver steering wheel torque using state variables of a steering system model based on the electric power steering system, and controlling a difference between the driver steering wheel torque calculated from the steering system model and sensed torque sensed by the torque sensor to converge to zero through a controller.