Hyundai Mobis to simplify parking with 90-degree four-wheel steering

Hyundai Mobis, a car parts maker affiliated with Hyundai Motor Group, said Sunday it has succeeded in demonstrating its upcoming self-driving technology, called e-Corner System, on public roads for the first time.

The technology incorporates in-wheel motors, rotational steering and electronic braking in one module installed in the car wheels – the first of its kind globally.

In a video unveiled by the company, Hyundai’s Ioniq 5, equipped with the module, completed tricky parking and driving missions successfully at Hyundai Mobis’ proving ground and adjacent roads in Seosan, South Chungcheong Province.

One of the key features is called Crab Walking, which allows the car to move sideways like a crab by rotating its wheels 90 degrees -- a feature especially helpful for parallel parking.

Another feature, called Zero Turn, allows the car wheels to spin up to 360 degrees and turn at different angles. In case of bumping into a dead end, the feature helps the driver easily rotate the car and drive forward instead of going in reverse.

Diagonal Driving allows the car to pass ahead of the proceeding vehicle more smoothly, while Pivot Turn helps the car turn around at any position or angle, helping drivers when pulling into a parking spot front end first.

“We are improving the e-Corner System to better meet the demands for future mobility,” said Cheon Jae-seung, head of Hyundai Mobis’ Future Technology Convergence Institute. “Under the vision of moving towards a mobility platform provider, the company plans to develop a wider range of mobility solutions ranging from autonomous driving to purpose-based vehicles.”

Under Hyundai Motor Group’s revamped electrification push worth 24 trillion won ($18 billion), Hyundai Mobis is speeding up its business for EVs. It recently unveiled the Electric Complete Chassis Platform Module, an all-in-one electrification solution that incorporates braking, steering, suspension, driving and battery systems into an aluminum-based frame.