Hyundai's e-Corner system lets cars rotate 180-degrees and drive sideways

[midian182]

Forward-looking: Even the best drivers can occasionally struggle when parallel parking in a tight spot or squeezing into a crowded parking lot. But Hyundai is working on a technology that could let even the worst drivers perform the most difficult vehicle maneuvers: e-Corner, a system that allows all a car's wheels to move up to 90 degrees individually or as one.

Hyundai recently released new footage of its Ioniq 5 prototype EV with an e-Corner module on each wheel. The crab-driving demo is especially impressive, showing the car pulling up to a space that would be difficult to parallel park into, but thanks to the wheels being able to rotate 90 degrees, the vehicle can easily slide into the slot sideways.

Hyundai's e-Corner system also allows what it calls a zero turn. By rotating the front and rear wheels in opposite directions, the Ioniq 5 can spin 180 degrees on the spot, which would be very useful when you need to turn around in a tight area.

Another demonstration is the pivot turn. By rotating the rear wheels and keeping one of the front wheels in place, the car can swing its body around while the front right/left tire stays in the same spot. The end result is that car rotates into the perfect position for a parking space without any reversing or risk of hitting a parked vehicle.

The system also allows diagonal driving by turning all four wheels. It's an ability the GMC Hummer EV can also perform, but that vehicle's system can only move the pickup diagonally.

Autoblog explains that an e-Corner module packs a wheel's suspension, braking, and steering necessities into a free-standing assembly that connects to an in-wheel motor. It notes that the modules lift the car's chassis and cause the wheels to stick out slightly.

Hyundai hopes to start taking orders for its system in 2025. With other auto manufacturers working on (or having already implemented) similar features, could this advanced mobility be the future of EVs?

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/98491-hyundai-e-corner-system-cars-perform-180-degree.html

 

[Neatfeatguy]

Glad someone is taking advantage of almost a 100 year old idea on cars, to allow wheels to turn sideways to ease parallel parking. Good job there, Hyundai! If you were Apple, you'd claim this was brand new and you were the ones that invented it.

 

[Burty117]

Surely adding in-wheel motors will drastically increase unsprung weight?
Looks like another system on a car to go wrong.

"No more difficult parallel parking"

Since when was parallel parking difficult?

 

[Neatfeatguy]

Surely adding in-wheel motors will drastically increase unsprung weight?
Looks like another system on a car to go wrong.

"No more difficult parallel parking"

Since when was parallel parking difficult?

I'm surprised some people passed their driving test with their inability to parallel park. None of my friends or their friends (guess you'd say they were acquaintances to me) could parallel park. I had to parallel park cars for people all the time when we went places that only had available parking on the street.

We'd hop out and do a little Chinese fire drill, then I'd back the car into a parallel parking spot in one shot and then we'd go about our business.

I think the most irritating part is having to parallel park when you're going on a one-way street and the only parking spot is on the driver's side. I can still park, but it may take an adjustment or two to properly get into the spot.

 

[p51d007]

I'm still amazed at the white knuckle look on some drivers faces, when faced with the "difficult" task of parallel parking. LOL

 

[neeyik]

Since when was parallel parking difficult?

Plenty of countries have locations with narrow road systems, insane traffic levels, zero patience from other drivers, etc that can make parallel parking a nightmare. From personal experience, London and Paris spring to mind.

 

[Julnor]

Plenty of countries have locations with narrow road systems, insane traffic levels, zero patience from other drivers, etc that can make parallel parking a nightmare. From personal experience, London and Paris spring to mind.

NYC as well, especially in places like Chinatown.

People trying to make this a matter of intelligence or skill probably live in rural red states with insane amounts of space and very little population density. As is the case usually when these types of topics pop up, the people that are being the most antagonistic are the least capable to begin with, they just sense an opportunity to praise themselves.

 

[hahahanoobs]

If you can't parellel park on you're own you shouldn't be driving. As for narrow streets overseas in the east, those people have been living with them for centuries so if anything, those people should be experts already.

 

[Burty117]

Plenty of countries have locations with narrow road systems, insane traffic levels, zero patience from other drivers, etc that can make parallel parking a nightmare. From personal experience, London and Paris spring to mind.

I live just outside of London and drive in as and when needed. I have an American Friend and a friend from New Zealand, both refused to drive in the UK as our roads are "simply too narrow"

Are driving standards just much lower in the US? I don't really rate the quality of driving in the UK these days, I swear it was better 10-15 years ago than it is today.

 

[neeyik]

Are driving standards just much lower in the US?

Honestly no idea -- I only ever used public transport when I visited

 

[Kam7r]

Plenty of countries have locations with narrow road systems, insane traffic levels, zero patience from other drivers, etc that can make parallel parking a nightmare. From personal experience, London and Paris spring to mind.

you can't have your licence in France if you don't know how to parallel parking

 

[neeyik]

you can't have your licence in France if you don't know how to parallel parking

Same in the UK, but that doesn't mean one is never going to come across situations where it's very challenging to do it.

 

[Underdog]

I got my first license at the age of 16 in California and drove full-sized cars there until I left in 1970. Parallel parking was part of the test. I have to admit I could have parked a bus in the space between the cones the space was so large. Parking in London (albeit with smaller cars) was a piece of cake. The trick was to do it as quickly as you can to prevent some plonker in an even smaller car zipping into your intended spot while you're getting lined up to reverse into it. I have driven in Paris and my advice to anyone, is to simply don't do it. It is bound to end in tears.

 

[Fimbulvetr]

All of you patting yourselves on the back for how easy you find it probably have two working eyes. For those of us who are blind in one eye, and thus have no depth perception, it isn't always so easy. But keep on enjoying your "stereoscopic privilege", you two-eyed monsters.