Hyundai has unveiled the E4U Personal Mobility Vehicle at the Seoul Motor Show. A concept vehicle designed by Hyundai's Advanced Design Department, the E4U is a drivable one-person vehicle akin to the Segway.
Personal mobility vehicles like the Hyundai E4U shown at the motor show have failed to be adopted in great numbers. However, that hasn't stopped companies like Honda, GM and Toyota from making intriguing concept vehicles.
Drivers move the vehicle by tilting it, a process controlled through the user's feet. The egg-shaped ball can spin in a counterclockwise direction. When tilted to the left, the E4U moves forward. Tilting the vehicle to the right moves the E4U in reverse. Two safety wheels on the back of the vehicle keep it from spinning.
One quirky aspect of the E4U is that the driver can remove the top of the vehicle and wear it as a distinctive helmet. The helmet comes with a large clear visor and we aren't really sure why it's necessary, given that in the demonstration the car only moved about as fast as a walking person. Maybe it's just there so the driver will look cool.
The "E" in E4U represents egg, evolution and ecology. The vehicle reportedly takes some getting used to and won't move in the desired direction without practice. Hyundai's Advanced Design Department only began working on the vehicle in October 2012, giving the concept plenty of room for improvement. We'll be excited to see how far this little egg goes.
