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Yes, I've been imagining this too since 25 years ago now, also thinking how it would not need turning wheels, just power differential like paddling a boat. Not
by cgio 8y ago
Yes, I've been imagining this too since 25 years ago now, also thinking how it would not need turning wheels, just power differential like paddling a boat. Not sure if this part can be done though or if it would break under the pressure... I should have studied engineering to find out.
- baybal2 8y agoChinese lsevs do exactly that. One banal BLDC for each wheel, but more often just two
- zepolen 8y agoNo steering wheel...that is an interesting idea, I don't think pressure would be a problem, but sensitivity might be.
- EmbarrassedFuel 8y agoThis is how tanks steer! And also (to some extent) why using them on roads ruins the roads. If you tried in a traditionally wheeled car then all of the drive shafts would snap though!
- ddalex 8y agoI used to think that the treads actually ruin the road because it changes to contact surface on which you apply the power differential from a line (on a tire) to a rectangle(the tread), i.e. it tries to rotate a flat surface which can't be rotated, so somethings got to give. Arguably a tire wouldn't have the same problem.
- MertsA 8y agoNo turning wheels means no parallel parking. Zero turning radius would be cool, but even with complete differential steering that would scrub the tires a bit much. I don't think you could practically remove steering tires entirely. I think you're still stuck with a rack and pinion, ball joints, tie rods, strut bearings, etc so even with AWD with independent electric motors on all wheels differential steering isn't really that useful. On a performance car, it'll help with handling around turns. I don't see that becoming commonplace on average cars because of the added cost.