At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Hyundai Mobis (MObility Beyond Integrated Solution) debuted an animated video showcasing the benefits of its e-Corner System. It has built a working Ioniq 5 prototype.

Hyundai's e-Corner System is a suite of features made possible by removing an Ioniq 5's standard powertrain and suspension and replacing it with four self-contained modules with brake-by-wire, steer-by-wire, a damper, and an in-wheel motor. Since it's self-contained, the wheel position is not static and can move freely by as much as 90 degrees.

Hyundai says it unlocks a "new level of versatile movement." Looking at the demonstration video, it's hard to disagree. Hyundai's e-Corner System makes the Hummer crab walking feature look as outdated as Alan Turing's Bombe.

The crab driving feature allows the car to move the same way as a crab instead of just moving diagonally forwards and backward like a chessboard Bishop. The modules turn inward by 90 degrees, which lets the car move side-to-side in a straight line. If your brain can't process parallel parking (it's a real thing, okay), you're probably drooling at this point.

The Zero Turn feature enables the car to do a 180-degree or a complete 360-degree turn in place. Rivian started working on a similar feature in 2021 called Tank Turn, while Ford filed a patent for a similar system, but it is nowhere near as advanced as this.

Pivot Turn angles the rear modules to vastly decrease the turning radius, making perpendicular parking easier than ever before. Even if you were born to take the bus, these systems would turn you into a parking professor.

Finally, we have Diagonal Driving, and as is the case with the Hummer, we can't see the benefit. Tire wear, maybe? Hyundai shows how rotating all four wheels in the same direction will help you change lanes, but that's not exactly something humanity has been struggling with. To be blunt, Diagonal Driving seems a bit like Tesla trying to reinvent the steering wheel.

Three of these four features are splendiferous, but what are the chances of them making it to production?

As you can imagine, the cost of four independent wheel modules will significantly increase the price of a car. Yet, Hyundai is intent on making it available to the masses. CarBuzz first discovered the patent for the e-Corner System in 2021, and the good news is that Hyundai plans on making it available to all manufacturers.

Once everyone starts using the system, the price will come down, which solves the problem of paying for four individually-operated self-contained modules.