The goals for this work are to investigate possible improvements in active and passive safety by active lateral dynamic control and an unconventional steering unit. The ideas have been implemented as a running prototype in a SAAB 9000 car. The unconventional steering unit uses ideas from the development of Saab Scania As's latest military aircraft J39 Griffin. The system safety and reliability of the system are also taken in consideration and discussed in the paper. The test results indicate that it is possible to achieve an extended controllability and a higher degree of active and passive safety by using steer-by-wire and a joy-stick.