Hyundai views the concept as ideal to move around in small cities.
Hyundai’s CES lineup also includes the M.Vision POP EV, and M.Vision 2GO hydrogen powered concepts for small mobility vehicles. These wheels can rotate 90 degrees to allow for sideways driving or rotation without moving forward or backward. Vehicles that can make tight turns are possible thanks to this technology. By 2023, the company will develop a skateboard chassis that includes four of these steering units.
Hyundai calls this technology the e-corner modules. Each module combines steering, brake, suspension, driving ability, and steering. It is a key component of future vehicles, with a focus in urban mobility and the ability to maneuver in tight environments.
The e-corner module does not have any mechanical connections between its components. This allows Hyundai to create vehicles with greater design flexibility, Hyundai claims.
In 2018, the company created the original concept for e-corner module. After functional testing, the new version will be displayed at CES. Next steps include reliability verification and a feasibility analysis for mass production.
A controller integrated for four ecorner modules would be included in the skateboard chassis that will arrive by 2023. The company hopes to have the vehicle capable of autonomous driving by 2025.
Hyundai envisions a future with lots of robots. They’d be at your home to deliver things. People would travel in pods that could be attached to larger vehicles like buses. In the company’s imagination, these machines could even replace ambulances.
This video shows Hyundai’s visionary idea. It’s certainly cool. However, it would require a significant change in the world to be able to support the drastic changes the company is proposing.