.jpg)
As the use of electric motors in motor vehicles converges with other technologies such as drive-by-wire, stability control, and active suspension, eventually a major paradigm shift in automotive architecture may be required. In preparation for that moment, Siemens VDO is working on something that it calls eCorner, which is a convergence of several technologies into the wheel and hub assembly.
While the centerpiece of the concept is an electric drive motor that's integrated into the hub (clearly intended for use with a fuel cell or series hybrid powertrain), other interesting technologies include an active suspension system and Siemens VDO's electronic wedge brake (EWB) brake-by-wire system. The whole assembly is kept pointed in the correct direction by a steer-by-wire system. Fitting the system at all four corners of a vehicle would enable some rather interesting vehicle dynamics, with the angle of each road wheel and the amount of power applied to each motor being continuously varied to keep the car pointed where the driver intends it to go.
While each of these technologies by themselves aren't necessarily novel, it's certainly interesting to see them bundled as one package. Now, someone just has to take the big leap and put into production a vehicle that uses all this technology.
[Source: Siemens; a hat tip to reader Dan Mohr]












