An active force pedal assembly that includes a housing for a pedal and a torque motor that is coupled to the pedal in a direct drive relationship via a shaft that extends between and is coupled directly to both the pedal and the torque motor. The drum of the pedal and the torque motor are disposed in a side-by-side relationship in which the respective longitudinal axes of the drum and the torque motor are co-linearly aligned. The torque motor generates and transfers a rotational torque force to the shaft which, in turn, applies an active force to the pedal and thus the foot of the operator of the vehicle for providing a sensory signal of a vehicular condition or event.