It just occured to me that the 3 wheeled electric compact car I posted on earlier (see video below) may be using the same steering technology as the Dymaxion car invented by Buckminster Fuller, the guy most famous for creating the Geodesic domes (among other things). See one of my favorite Dymaxion Car Video below. The dymaxion car uses the rear wheel as it's turning wheel. The front wheels do not have a turning axis.
BTW, check out the Buckminster Fuller Challenge 2009 and the California Green Corps
The Dymaxion was just the most famous vehicle to use rear-wheel steering. It's really only suitable for slow speeds -- lots of fork-lift truck steer this way, as do "tail-dragger" aircraft. At higher speeds it becomes very unstable, as Fuller found out. Not a problem for those old slow electrics, though. And it made the folding front axle easier to do. Fun old videos!
ReplyDeleteI can see how it could be unstable at high speeds. I think the problem is that if someone turned to sharp at a high speed, the momentum of the vehicle could cause it to tumble.
ReplyDeleteHoweever, with modern technology, it may be possible to restrict turning degrees at various speeds, using computers, gyroscopes, etc.
Perhaps this technology will be applied when we have robots driving our cars. They will be able to benefit by the efficiencies of the design, while minimizing safety concerns.
I suppose that though the Dymaxion cars were not produced, the design was influential on several subsequent designs
ReplyDeleteAre you talking about the Dymaxion car designed by the US inventor Buckminster Fuller way back 1933? I never imagined that in this generation, the car industries are still interested in this concept.
ReplyDeleteha, lovely!! I want such car, it's so portable and looking good! my style
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