A RECENT demonstration shows that it is now technically possible to parallel park a car with minimal effort. This is achieved thanks to an ingenious system installed in the car's wheels, allowing it to drive in a sideways direction.
Equipment manufacturer Hyundai Mobis (for MObility Beyond Integrated Solution) is a subsidiary of the South Korean group working mainly on electric, connected and autonomous mobility solutions.
For years, it has been developing a parking aid based on a strange crab-like movement that it recently tested for the first time on a production car.
The idea is to make maneuvering into a parking space easy, if not effortless, on the first attempt, even in very tight spaces. For this purpose, Hyundai Mobis equipped an Ioniq 5 with four wheels that can turn up to 90 degrees.
So, after lining up the car parallel to the space, it becomes very easy to move the vehicle sideways, "crab-driving" into the space to park it.
This solution is called "e-Corner" and consists notably of a small electric motor and damper in a module fitted in each of the car's wheels.
With this technology, all kinds of movements become possible and any manoeuvre becomes very simple. The vehicle can drive diagonally, for example, or rotate by turning only its rear wheels.
This solution has already been tested on autonomous shuttles developed by Hyundai Mobis. However, this is the first time it has been adapted to a vehicle like the Ioniq 5.
Far from being a gimmick, this technology could very well be integrated into some of the group's new models, whether under Hyundai or Kia badges, from as soon as 2025.
So far, the only example of comparable technology commercially available is in the GMC Hummer EV, which has a four-wheel drive system allowing it to travel diagonally if necessary, but not up to a 90-degree angle. – ETX Daily Up, January 12, 2023
