Korean 'Armadillo' Electric Car Folds Up, Parks, Controlled By Your Smartphone

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Korean 'Armadillo' Electric Car Folds Up, Parks, Controlled By Your Smartphone

Posted by Soulskill on Friday August 23, 2013 @06:44AM from the put-it-in-the-glove-compartment-of-your-SUV dept.

cartechboy writes "Researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology have unveiled a crazy foldable, compact electric vehicle that, well, folds up like an armadillo. What's more, you can engage the armadillo-like folding process as well as actually park the car with a smartphone. Yes, there's an app for that. Not sure if it's the folding part or the idea of people trying to park any car using their cellphones that makes this concerning. The shrinking process takes only around 15 seconds, and reduces the car's 110-inch length to just 65 inches as it essentially curls into a ball."

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Looks like one more thing that could break. by Karmashock · 2013-08-23 06:50 · Score: 3, Insightful

Imagine owning one of those things for several years. What happens if the damned thing gets stuck? Or a motor burns out that controls the expansion. Or a gear gets stripped...
And honestly, how small do you need to make a car? The difference between the expanded and contracted versions was not that great. I'd keep it expanded all the time. Why not. Are you ever going to have that little space? Unlikely.

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1. Re:Looks like one more thing that could break. by Firethorn · 2013-08-23 07:33 · Score: 2
  
  This reminds me of how California encouraged the use of hybrids and electric vehicles - they made it so that conforming vehicles had access to the HOV lanes even with only the driver.
  This was an option worth several thousand dollars to many drivers, which combined with federal and state rebates made the vehicles very attractive to many buyers. Of course, it had the somewhat unattractive affect of allowing ANY hybrid - including relatively huge ones like the Ford Escape that still gets worse mileage than any non-hybrid econoboxes into them while disallowing said fuel-sipping traditionals.
  
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  I don't read AC A human right
Re:How safe is that car? by Entropius · 2013-08-23 06:51 · Score: 4, Insightful

As an American who likes to drive on the highway, I agree.
As an American who is currently stuck in an urban shithole where 40mph is a pipe dream, I might want one of these.
LoL by meerling · 2013-08-23 06:56 · Score: 3, Funny

What if you forgot to take the groceries out of the back before you 'shut it'?
Will it do that if someone is in the car?
I bet a lot of people would have fun tipping them over when folded up.
The smaller size is only when parked, so it won't help you get into a smaller parking space.
Those tiny casters aren't going to be used for rolling it around anywhere, so why the heck didn't they use something more durable like a post/leg?

It's funny, but not very practical in my opinion. I wonder how many clowns you can cram into it?
1. Re:LoL by Bill+Dimm · 2013-08-23 07:13 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  And, if someone parks really close to you while it is folded you won't have enough space to unfold it.
2. Re:LoL by Firethorn · 2013-08-23 07:39 · Score: 2
  
  1. You open it back up, or since it's likely the cargo space that folds, some sensor stops it.
  2. Probably not, but worst case there should be an emergency release. Of course, it's just a prototype.
  3. Probably not - the 13.6kwh battery pack is in the front bottom of the vehicle. It should be stable.
  4. I figure that's what the cell phone control is for - folded it still has it's front wheels and those casters, so it should still be somewhat mobile.
  5. You need actual wheels for 40 mph, but for a 1-5mph parking job? The castors will work just fine. Worst case, use you cell phone to release the brakes and push it out of the spot.
  
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  I don't read AC A human right
3. Re:LoL by Type44Q · 2013-08-23 08:07 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  I wonder how many clowns you can cram into it?
  Jam as many clowns as you can into it, fold it up, expand it, jam a few more in, repeat as necessary.
  Bonus: finally a legitimate usage of clowns.
Re:How safe is that car? by Solandri · 2013-08-23 07:13 · Score: 2

I used to work near a retirement community. 55+, nearby golf course and supermarket shopping mall. Most of the residents had electric golf carts instead of cars and they worked just fine. And that's all this is - a glorified electric golf cart.
Finally... by roc97007 · 2013-08-23 07:19 · Score: 2

A car that doubles as a trash compactor.

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Re:Issues by samwichse · 2013-08-23 07:24 · Score: 2

I disagree, 10 blocks to 60K is very good acceleration indeed, even it's in kph instead of mph!
Sam
Convenient. by wcrowe · 2013-08-23 07:27 · Score: 4, Funny

It also neatly folds up when rear-ended. Very economical. It doubles as a coffin.

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Proverbs 21:19
Re:How safe is that car? by stewsters · 2013-08-23 07:27 · Score: 2

Only if I can jump out, engage the folding, and then remote control it into impossibly small spaces. That would be totally hilarious.
Re:How safe is that car? by jonyen · 2013-08-23 07:37 · Score: 2

I used to work near a retirement community. 55+, nearby golf course and supermarket shopping mall. Most of the residents had electric golf carts instead of cars and they worked just fine. And that's all this is - a glorified electric golf cart.
But it's a glorified electric golf cart that folds!
Re:How safe is that car? by nospam007 · 2013-08-23 11:15 · Score: 2

"if it had a full door with a window I might like it better but I would be afraid that the joint would leak given it doesn't snap after a few years of rough driving and speed bumps."
They can't, it's legally a quad and cannot have full doors without being able to attain the full collision security a normal car has to get.