By simply clicking on a smartphone, the innovative “Armadillo-T” electric vehicle from South Korea is capable of parking itself and folding almost in half, thus creating additional space in congested urban areas.
This unique two-seater, inspired by the animal whose shell it mimics, may never hit the production line; however, it contributes to the growing trend of crafting environmentally conscious vehicles tailored for city living.
The vehicle can cover distances up to 100 km (62 miles) on just a 10-minute charge and has a top speed of 60 km per hour (37 miles per hour).
When it’s time to park, the back of the car folds over the front, effectively reducing its length to a mere 1.65 meters (65 inches).
“They can be parked in every corner of streets and buildings, including apartments, shopping centers, or supermarkets,” stated Suh In-soo, a professor at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, who spearheaded the car’s development.
Suh eliminated traditional rear-view mirrors in favor of small digital cameras that display the rear and side views on a flat screen located on the dashboard. A Windows-based computer system interacts with the driver’s smartphone to facilitate self-parking.
In South Korea, the Armadillo-T is not permitted on the roads due to its failure to meet specific mandatory safety criteria, including crash testing. Suh suggested that South Korea ought to relax regulations for micro cars, exempting them from crash standards given their relatively low operating speeds.
