Hyundai is making exciting progress with its e-Corner technology that lets a driver “crab walk” out of a tight spot. Other maneuvers such as zero turns, pivot turns, and diagonal driving are also possible.
Hyundai has been working on the technology for at least five years, and previously showed it off in purpose-built vehicles that aren’t on the market.
But at CES last week, the Korean automaker revealed an Ioniq 5 EV incorporating the e-Corner technology, and judging by the footage in the video below, it looks pretty darn impressive.
The most striking of the maneuvers is the Crab Driving mode designed to let a vehicle enter and exit tight parallel parking spaces with ease — though you’d have to make sure the vehicles front and back have enough space to get out or you could meet one (or possiby two!) rather irate owner when you return to your vehicle.
It’s not clear how useful the other modes would be, but if you live in a city with narrow streets, or drive routes that are often congested, it’s possible they could come in handy to free you from tricky situations from time to time.
Wondering when you’ll be able to actually buy a Hyundai vehicle with this technology fitted? Well, seeing it in the Ioniq 5 EV suggests the automaker is making good progress with the system, but it appears it’ll be at least a couple more years before it hits the market, according comments made by Hyundai in 2021.
Some other automakers are also making headway with similar technology. General Motors’ Hummer EV, for example, has a Crab Walk mode that partially swivels the rear wheels, enabling it to shift across a surface diagonally rather than sideways.
