ZF, the American-German automotive components company, has just introduced a novel EasyTurn front suspension concept. As the name suggests, it features the ability to deflect the wheels to an exaggerated 80° angle, allowing users to easily side park in a compact environment. In a promotional video shared by ZF, it shares a demonstration of the modified BMW i3 model and shows off its insane maneuverability.
(From: ZF Friedrichstafen)
For owners of front-wheel drive cars who have only mastered conventional driving skills, it’s not easy to back into a compact side parking space.
But the BMW i3, with its EasyTurn front suspension, was able to back into a parking space at an “extremely wicked” angle, nearly parallel to a rather limited distance.
First, a top view shows that the BMW i3 can turn around in less than 3.5 times its width (which also seems to incorporate some rear-wheel steering technology).
Compared to the 9.9 m (32.5 ft) turning radius of the standard BMW i3, EasyTurn can be significantly reduced to around 6.2 m (20.3 ft).
For owners of small front-drive cars living around towns with narrow roads, the EasyTurn’s equipment is a real treat. Unfortunately, ZF has not yet announced when it will go into production.
But as one of the world’s leading suppliers of Tier 1 automotive components (perhaps better known as ZF’s transmissions), its turnover last year was nearly $40 billion. ZF is apparently also capable of immediate mass production if the market calls for it.
