Mechanics invent an axle that can achieve steering angles of up to 80 degrees
It’s ideal for U-turns and parallel parking.
Have you ever been in a tight spot with your car and wondered how you would maneuver your way out? Do you have trouble with parallel parking? Are narrow spaces an issue for you? Do you struggle to pull off U-turns? Well, you can now say goodbye to all these problems.
Turning up to 80 degrees
U.S.- German auto parts company ZF has engineered a strut suspension front axle concept that allows the front wheels to turn up to an incredible 80 degrees. The invention is called EasyTurn.
“With EasyTurn, steering angles of up to 80 degrees are possible. Turning and parking maneuvers are almost effortless thanks to the extremely high steering angle. The innovative front axle system benefits both passenger and cargo vehicles – above all in cramped inner-city traffic, in parking spaces, narrow alleys, construction sites, traffic jams, or loading zones,” says the firm on its website.
It further notes that EasyTurn offers extreme agility and comfortable parking.
The ZF Easyturn concept is showcased in a video by the firm, and it definitely looks weird in action. While the maneuver is taking place, the front wheels look like they are about to fall off and go rolling down the street.
The system further requires an unusually large amount of space in the wheel wells to get that kind of angle, one that can only be achieved in front-wheel drive vehicles. Imagine pushing from the back with the front wheels at 80 degrees, and you can see why that would be a terrible idea.
A video of a BMWi3
The video shows a BMWi3 backing up into super-narrow parallel parking spots at ridiculous angles and coming back to its original position without breaking a sweat. The video also showcases the i3 making a U-turn in what looks like less than 3.5 times its own width.
As impressive as the video is, there is no word whether this product is ready for market or not. If it does become available we can see it transforming how both small and large cars alike function.
Imagine no longer having to worry about tight spaces or tricky U-turns. The invention would offer unparalleled flexibility to cars of all sizes. The key now would be how to install it on regular cars.
Could this feature fit on any standard car, or would specially engineered cars have to be developed? I guess we will find out when ZF finally makes it available to the public.
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