Do you always dread the idea of parallel parking? Then fret no more, Hyundai has just demonstrated what may soon be an actual reinvention of the wheel, or in this case—the wheels, the steering servo, the suspension systems, the whole shebang. This is Hyundai Mobis' e-Cornering System.
First seen in M.Vision TO last CES 2023, this bizarre, although astonishing steering apparatus equips all four wheels an industry-first street tested 90° turning mechanism. Retrofitted to a Hyundai Ioniq 5, it enables a whole suite of new maneuverability tricks for steering, parking, and even lane changing.
Hyundai e-Corner in action:
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Hyundai Mobis showcased a number of innovations in their video, namely the pivot and zero turns, that would prove useful in reverse parking and in 360° degree U-turns, respectively. The highlight of the video, however, was a feature that the company dubbed as crab driving—the icing of the e-Cornering cake. This attention-grabbing feature enables the complete rotation of the wheels perpendicular to the vehicle, so that the vehicle may move in a total sidewards or diagonal manner, which could make parallel parking a whole lot easier.
This technology pushes the crab-walking envelope first overseen by General Motors Corporation (GMC) in its Hummer EV SUV a year prior—that one only had a 10° turning capacity.
Hyundai aims this proof of concept will make maneuvering around tight spots even easier. Given that parking is a challenge in some places in the country, it would be a useful feature if it reaches production.
This feature—we imagine—will prove most promising once it is integrated with equally newer technologies such as autonomous driving and automatic parking assists, as the new turning arrangements can be cumbersome with current steering implementations and consumer know-hows. Although the learning curve would definitely be steep, the product seems to be much more than its gimmicky facade and has real long-term potential for the mainstream consumers.
