Audi Snook, the one-wheeled car with a brain

[B5Passat]

I stumbled across while surfing the web
http://dvice.com/archives/2008/04/audi_snook_the.php

[BB]

 I think that is so cool.
Imagine how well a car could corner if it had wheels like that, an easy to park etc.
It would also be great for things like forklifts.

[Pristle]

That's like giving the Segway guy a wedgie. When's the next iRobot movie due out anyway?

[GlenT]

Problem is, getting in and out of the thing whilst it's bobbing about trying to stabilise itself.
Imagine a whole pile of these at the lights, dancing and swaying in the wind, banging into each other.....

[5-pot]

If it's as good as the segway, they won't move much in the wind.  those segways can stand pretty still...  I'm just wondering how quickly they can stop... 

[HandsomeDan]

If it's as good as the segway, they won't move much in the wind.  those segways can stand pretty still...  I'm just wondering how quickly they can stop... 

Segways stop pretty quickly - problem is you sometimes go backwards if you stop too quickly - same movement to do both - lean backwards.

Cool fun to ride, too.

I'd love to see Audi's like the "i, Robot" ones. Loving those completely spherical wheels.

[5-pot]

And what happens when they run outta juice?    I just imagine the panic when someone realises they're low on juice in grid-lock traffic

[GlenT]

If it's as good as the segway, they won't move much in the wind.  those segways can stand pretty still...  I'm just wondering how quickly they can stop... 

But a Segway has two wheels, and this Snook is far bigger with a high center of gravity compared to the Segway, plus a fair amount of this mass is outside/overhanging the wheel, whereas the Segaways' mass is all between the two wheels..
Can't see it taking off at all.
Sure, the technology has been around for years and can be utilised. It's just that it's not practical, apart from size.
But I too like the spherical wheels, but I'll be wanting four on my car.

[SimonS2]

... a fair amount of this mass is outside/overhanging the wheel...

Sticking to traditional Audi design principles then
Mecanum wheels might be cool for this sort of thing (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mecanum_wheel)

[SimonS2]

While on the topic of single-wheel vehicles, check out this V8 'monowheel':
http://www.diseno-art.com/encyclopedia/strange_vehicles/mclean_v8_monowheel.html
I think there's a video of a prototype crashing someplace.