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Performance requests and machine automation, in conjunction with new regulations for commercial and heavy duty vehicles, represent a difficult challenge for machine design. Machine control systems complexity and functional safety regulation, are complex requirements to deal with in new machines design. The paper describes a steering system design, of a 6 wheeled agricultural front articulated self-propelled machine, that must comply with new regulations in terms of functional safety. The vehicle steering is driven by an electro-hydraulic system, totally controlled using electronics; the rear wheels are independently steered and controlled. This architecture requires a highly functional safety performance level. The safety analysis of the system lead to a required performance level whose compliance is a challenging task, due to the software quality required, and to the cost of a fully redundant hardware, on both electronics and hydraulics side.