Hyundai Mobis has succeeded in developing a technology that can rotate the wheels of a car up to 90 degrees. Analysts say that the launch of a vehicle capable of crab driving that moves the vehicle from side to side as well as back and forth is not far away.
Hyundai Mobis announced on Oct. 24 that it has developed "e-corner module" technology that combines steering, braking, suspension, and driving systems with wheels. Various devices do not have to be connected to wheels on a mechanical axis, allowing carmakers to freely design the interior space of the vehicle. A wheel base can be easily changed according to the characteristics of the vehicle. It will make automakers free restrictions on design such as door direction and vehicle sizes.
Currently used vehicles connect parts from steering wheels to wheels through mechanical shafts. Their narrow rotation angles with narrow interior space allow their wheels rotate only about 30 degrees. If the new technology applies, purpose-based vehicles (PBVs) can be specially designed according to the characteristics of places such as hospitals and cafes.
Rotating wheels 90 degrees will enable cars to move like crabs and make zero turns which refer to the turning radius of a car being zero inches. It will make parallel parking in alleys by far easier. It is expected to greatly improve driving environments by operating vehicle with rotating wheels as desired in downtown areas with traffic jams. Hyundai Mobis plans to start receiving orders for rotating wheels from global automakers after reviewing their reliability and mass production.
Hyundai Mobis will develop a "skateboard module" that can be applied to actual cars by integrating and controlling the e-corner module applied to four wheels by 2023. The skateboard module is a large platform that combines key parts such as steering and braking parts with a chassis and electric vehicle parts. Its goal is to provide PBV solutions by applying autonomous driving control technology to the skateboard module by 2025.
"Unlike other parts manufacturers that produce certain parts only, we developed the technology based on our ability to make various core parts such as steering, braking, connectivity and electrification parts," a Hyundai Mobis official said. No company has ever mass-produced the e-corner module worldwide as they need to secure driving stability while applying various devices at once.