Considering the high uncertainty for vehicle working environment, multi-degree of freedom four-wheel steering vehicle model was proposed. Structural singular value μ theory is adapted to design robust controller. By specifying an imaginary uncertainty module, the behavior robust property was inverted into a generalized system to resist the exterior disturbance. A HILS platform based on Matlab/Simulink/dSPACE was developed to real-time carry out the virtual testing by constructing different vehicle surrounding. The four-wheel steering automobile was modified successfully and the developed 4WS controller was then applied in the vehicle field test for validation and further modification. The test data proved that the modified four-wheel steering is prior to front-wheel steering and the former has an excellent maneuverability and stability. Furthermore, the whole procedure of rapid development for 4WS including off-line simulation, real-time simulation, hardware-in-the loop simulation and the validation of the vehicle field test, based on the control development system, was investigated by the 4WS rapid development system. Therefore it was demonstrated by theoretical and experimental results that the 4WS rapid development system is an extended powerful tool for the development of vehicle chassis electronic controllers.