Hyundai’s wheel module is a glimpse into a very rotatable future

Man invented the wheel in the 4th century BC in Lower Mesopotamia. Since, then it’s come a long way but the core concept has pretty much remained unchanged. Understandable, seeing that there’s only so many ways to skin a cat.

However, while the wheel itself can only be spun so many ways, everything else around it is open for interpretation and innovation. That’s pretty much the approach Hyundai Mobis took with its e-corner module that combines the steering, braking, suspension and driving systems into a singular module that represents a huge leap forward for urban mobility.

The most impressive feature of the assembly would be the ability to execute 90-degree rotations parking and in-place rotation, essentially allowing crab walking.

First shared at the 2018 CES, Hyundai has since refined the idea and put it into production. Part of the upgrades includes an ECU for control as well as functional testing of the concept. Next up is reliability verification with a feasibility study for mass production.

Once all the boxes have been ticked, the plan is to procure orders from global carmakers.

Apart from the added maneuverability, the lack of mechanical connections between the components makes designing the vehicle an easier prospect. For example, the design of the vehicle doesn’t have to be compromised by the traditional and mechanical suspension, brakes and wheel structure. Further flexibility comes in the area of design as well to better accommodate the requirements of urban commuters.

By being able to rotate 90-degrees, the vehicle will be able to park with less room and navigate tighter streets; two of the largest hurdles with an urban environment.

For real world testing, Hyundai Mobis will be developing a skateboard module by 2023 with the e-corner module at each corner. This will be the acid test to gauge real world dynamics of four e-corner modules functioning in sync before automated driving is thrown into the mix.