Not everything at CES this year is rooted in software. Behold the Mobion, a concept car from Hyundai parts group Mobis that is basically an Ioniq 5 with some neat-o moves. Remember MC Hammer doing the Typewriter dance way back in the 1990s? This car can do that. Sort of, anyway.
That's because it incorporates a next-generation "e-Corner System," which is a fancy way of saying all four of its wheels can turn independently. If that sounds like the GMC Hummer EV's Crabwalk feature, you're not wrong. However, in the Mobion, the wheels can rotate upwards of 90 degrees. That's way more movement than you'll get in the Hummer, allowing the Mobion to move laterally.
Many cars offer some measure of four-wheel steering these days, but this kind of articulation isn't accomplished without considerable thought and engineering. Among other things, each wheel is basically its own self-enclosed powertrain. Hyundai Mobis calls this "In-Wheel" technology, incorporating an electric motor, braking, steering, and suspension functions at every wheel.
Without any axle shafts or extra brake components threading into the underbody, the Mobion can literally drive sideways for the easiest parallel-parking job of your motoring career. Or for those seeking a bit of fun, it can also perform pivot turns to pull off the best donuts ever. Of course, for demonstration purposes, this is performed at slow speeds, but you get the idea.
You'll note we mentioned earlier that this is a next-generation system. Hyundai Mobis has been working on this for a while now, showcasing a version on an Ioniq 5 earlier in 2023. In addition to wielding this next-gen maneuvering tech, the Mobion stands apart from a normal Ioniq 5 with new exterior lighting that can alert other drivers to a bevy of situations such as pedestrians crossing. It can also project images onto the ground to through a 360-degree spectrum, alerting others of the car's intended direction, among other things.
Will it come to production? Hyundai has nothing to say about future applications of the e-Corner System at this time. But considering the practical benefits of a car that can move sideways or spin in place (without egregious tire smoke, anyway), it's virtually guaranteed that we'll see more of this in the months and years to come.
