This patent focused on the usage of a Steer-by-Wire system to enhance a state of the art Lane Keeping System. With this approach highway driving would become more comfortable by using the Steer-by-Wire System and corresponding sensors to take over the Lane Keeping task from the driver. However, the driver would still be able to input their target position within the lane through the steering wheel.
The steering wheel will therefore not be an input device for the target vehicle motion — it is decoupled from the road wheel movement. It will rather be used to define the drivers target position within the lane to help with overtaking maneuvers of trucks or in situations with small lanes.
Source: Lane Keeping Assistance System with SbW (direct link to pdf)