Could it work? Eight-way adjustable wheels for more cornering force
DAWS concept - Click above for galleryWhen Charles Pyott considered the possibility of on-the-fly adjustable camber, he looked at motorcycles, the human foot and cars like the Mercedes F400 Carving and the BMW Clever. What he came up with isn't something you'll find on any of them: the Dynamically Augmenting Wheel System, or DAWS.
Instead of making a wheel that adjusts its angle, Pyott created a wheel split into eight sections that can slide laterally on a special hub and bearing. That means the wheels can have an effective camber change without altering their angle relative to the car, and you keep the vehicle's entire footprint in contact with the ground. Not mentioned, it could also be used to alter the car's track. You probably shouldn't expect to see this in action any time soon, but by the time John Connor gets here...
Gallery: DAWS Concept
[Source: Yanko Design]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Fred 4:15PM (3/12/2009)
With the forces that will want to rip those things apart, how much added unsprung weight are we talking about adding to make sure that doesn't happen?
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Mr.Oak 1:33PM (3/12/2009)
It might, but what will it do to the aerodynamics, and subsequently the fuel economy of said car?
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Jerk Face 2:06PM (3/12/2009)
The fuel economy would be killed alright - but not just from aerodynamics. The sheer rotational mass on those would be unreasonable. Not to mention the probability of the moving part on the wheels taking damage over time and leaving the owner / dealer with huge costs in repairs. Don't want to jump a curb with those beasts! The whole thing is pretty unreasonable.
ken_aisin 2:38PM (3/12/2009)
@Jerk Face,
I totally agree. One small hit at the curb and you probably need to call the tow truck. Innovative idea, but totally not practical.
Speaking of innovative tires, I just came across this artical the other day:
http://www.jsonline.com/business/34438379.html
Lad 3:03PM (3/12/2009)
SkyPie! Many suspension systems have been designed with the idea of trying to keep the full contact patch of the tire on the surface, i.e., rear multi-link suspension, double A arms, vertical shocks. Pre-set camber using camber plates is a normal modification to strut race car suspensions; however, they can acually reduce the contact when driven straight and reduce braking performance.
Any device that can adjust the camber on the fly and is practical, would immediately be snapped up by the racing community. But here again I don't see the device presented as being practical...just another engineering exercise.
superman211 4:55PM (3/12/2009)
As well as having to use SOLID tires because the moving ones would not hold air.
What about ride quality and the durability of a machine like that? IT would cost way WAY too much and not really work well.
You could just pay the faster cars to let you win and cost about 10% of this craziness.
Rich 5:29PM (3/12/2009)
@Superman -- see the link to non-pneumatic tires.
BoneHeadOtto 10:10PM (3/12/2009)
BUT the real problem here is with the sliding wheel section design. The design can properly increase g forces from the outside of the car but when the inside wheel is being pulled outward, the wheel sections will snap to the outside of the car. There is nothing holding them in. No helicopter like disk on the other side.
brad 2:48PM (3/13/2009)
@boneheadotto - You know, I thought the same thing but then looking at the photos it appears that there's either a cutaway or graphic (not sure) that does show the same type of helicopter blade pivot ring you spoke of. (not sure of the name of the actual hardware, sorry) But that's what got me excited since the principal is the same but just on a wheel instead of a rotor. It would interesting to see what impact G-forces and friction have on the wheel versus a helicopter 'hub.' Eh, worth seeing how it develops...
Andrew 1:34PM (3/12/2009)
Stupid.
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Metar 2:06PM (3/12/2009)
At least they didn't call it "Dynamically Augmenting Wheel Gyro System, or DAWGS"
Dude 3:11PM (3/12/2009)
I take it you're not a University of Georgia fan.
superman211 4:57PM (3/12/2009)
In a word, yes!
But, "Ultra Expensive BS" is more like it.
RamblinReck89 1:12AM (3/13/2009)
To Hell with Georgia?
Shipey 1:34PM (3/12/2009)
So much for K.I.S.S.
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Shipey 1:37PM (3/12/2009)
Is it just me, or is there no point to having those crazy segmented wheels? You'd get the same effect by simply allowing the wheels to slide in or out on their normal axis, thereby shifting the car's CoG. (And making it look like a lowrider on 13" Daytons in the process...)
taipeileviathan 1:43PM (3/12/2009)
haha u'know what shipey, i think you're totally right. if i'm not mistaken you're saying that the effect would be virtually the same as if, say, when making a left turn, the wheels on the car all slid a few inches to the right such that they'd stick out a bit from the fenders on the right and be sunken in a bit on the left. yah i think physically there's no diff, haha...
Shipey 1:46PM (3/12/2009)
Exactly, it would allow the car to effectively "lean into the turn" much like a motorcycle.
quynhquach 2:38PM (3/12/2009)
Mercedes has implemented that technology, they call it "carving". See this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5tzwjCE8mE
mike 3:31PM (3/12/2009)
@quynhquach
The Benz system is a bit different. They adjust the camber of the whole tire (affecting the contact patch with the road). taipeileviathan and shipey are saying is just slide the wheel (with the same camber and thus the same contact patch) further out.
But taipeileviathan, why bother sliding the inside wheel in? Don't you really just need the outside wheel to move out?