Siemens' eCorner motor-in-hub concept

Now check this out. Sister blog Engadget found out about Siemens' cool next-gen car technology that crams all sorts of goodies into the wheel and hub (all right, Engadget found it through our good friends at Autoblog). The goodies include an electronic motor, an active suspension system, Siemens' very own electronic wedge brake and an independent steer-by-wire function. All of these technologies have existed independently for a while, but this is the first time they've been packed together in a wheel. It's a dangerous place for all these components, but if the thing works, the power needed to move a car would be lowered dramatically. You can read Siemens' full press release here.

[Source: Engadget, Hat Tip to Chris Nelson]