The double planetary gear system incorporates an input sun gear connected to the driver’s steering wheel, two planetary gears, an output sun gear connected to the steering pinion, and a rotating housing. If the housing is held still, the driver’s steer inputs are translated from the input sun gear, through the planetary gears (sharing a common lay shaft) to the output sun gear with a net 1:1 ratio. I.e. if the planetary gear housing is held still, conventional steering operation is retained. This characteristic provides a means of steering the vehicle in the event of an active steering system failure.