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Leaning and Wheelbase Transforming Vehicle
This vehicle was inspired by the Carver One, and a prototype wheelbase changing vehicle that I saw in the Cooper Hewitt Design Museum.
It’s a 3 wheeled car, and like the Carver has one motorcycle like wheel in the front, and two car like wheels in the rear. The passenger pod tilts left and right to an angle up to 45 degrees. The tilting is actively controlled and based on several inputs; turning radius, speed, acceleration, steering input acceleration. The two rear wheels stay on the ground, and the rear, non-tilting compartment houses the engine (or electric motor and components).
At speed, the wheelbase is long, keeping the vehicle stable with a low center of gravity. For parking, or low speed maneuvering in confined spaces, the rear wheels and engine compartment move towards the front wheel, shortening the wheelbase. The passenger compartment rises to a more vertical position. In this position, the car can be parked in much smaller spaces, and directly into the sidewalk, rather than parallel parked.
