Hyundai Reveals E4U Egg-Shaped Personal Mobility Vehicle

With a design you won't soon forget, Hyundai's recently unveiled E4U personal mobility vehicle is a concept vehicle with a windshield/helmet combination and egg-shaped yellow body that is, from the back at least, somewhat insect-like in nature. The vehicle was demonstrated at the Seoul Motor Show 2013, and is the byproduct of Hyundai's Advanced Design Department.

The E4U functions a bit like a Segway, only in a far more futuristic fashion and with a completely encapsulating shell. The individual within the egg-shaped transient pod steers via their feet, pressing the floor to move in their desired direction. For example, the vehicle can be directed to move forward by placing one's feet on the floor and pressing the left one to the floor.

This is accomplished by a semispherical rotating unit on the bottom of the vehicle, as well as two safety wheels in the back on protruding legs that give the vehicle its insect-like appearance. The semipherical component turns clockwise, and thus movement is dependent on which part of it makes contact with the ground, which is achieved by tilting the vehicle to remove the motion-inhibiting effect of the safety wheels.

As another example provided, pressing with the right foot causes the right side of the semispherical component to contact the ground, causing the vehicle to move backwards because of the clockwise rotation. Sound complicated? That's because it is, depending on how you look at it. The individual who demonstrated the E4U reportedly said that one has to "get used to" steering with a semispherical ball, because pressing your feet in the direction you want to go will send the yellow pod in a completely different direction.

[via Tech On]