A hand control, when engaged, causes the rear wheels to turn to the same angle and direction as the front wheels. This would allow the driver to park in tighter spaces because, as he moves back and forth, she would not have to straighten out each time. As the car moves sideways, it maintains the same orientation. For safety's sake, the car would revert automatically to conventual steering when not in use.
-- tonybe, Jan 14 2010

4WS http://en.wikipedia...Four-wheel_steering
[AbsintheWithoutLeave, Jan 14 2010]

swing bike http://www.swingbik...e_rider_gallery.htm
Two wheel steering [pocmloc, Jan 14 2010]

conventual steering http://74.125.93.13...hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us
[mouseposture, Jan 15 2010]

You googled for this, didn't you?
-- AbsintheWithoutLeave, Jan 14 2010


I wish I could bone this twice, once for the bakedness and once for the bad design, as if both wheels turned the same, it would be impossible to parallel park. (--)
-- MisterQED, Jan 14 2010


//For safety's sake, the car would revert automatically to conventual steering when not in use// Shirley it matters not what steering system is engaged when the car is not in use? You could have one wheel steered by a rope, and the other 3 castoring. As long as the handbrake was firmly engaged.

The Honda Prelude system was very clever: small steering input turned the rear wheels the same direction, to 'crab' the vehicle at speed. Medium steering input straightened the rear wheels again, and large input made the rear wheels turn opposite to the front for super small turning circle - ideal for parking and other slow manouvering. All done with mechanical linkages, no fancy flybywire computer nonsense back in them days. I think there may even have been compensation for the front Ackermann as well.

Also I have seen lorry trailers with steering rear wheels, they turn opposite to the front for manouverability. I think they steer automatically like linked castors though. I have seen WW2 era models of tank transporters and similar low loaders with a second steering wheel at the back.
-- pocmloc, Jan 14 2010


On checking the cited websites, I saw that they apparently referred to rear wheels turning in a direction opposite to that of the front. I suggested that they they be made to turn in the same direction, that way, the car would remain parallel to the curb as it moved closer. I don't see why it wouldn't work, but, if not, it would certainly work with 4 wheel drive. Also, when I said it would revert to conventional steering when shut off, I, of course meant that the steering would be in that default condition when restarting. I see now that brevity is the soul of confusion, not wit. I'll try to be more long winded in the future.
-- tonybe, Jan 15 2010


nice link, squeaky one,
-- pocmloc, Jan 15 2010


[marked-for-deletion] widely known to exist
-- hippo, Jan 15 2010


Suggestion: rename the idea. Maybe something like "Parallel Four-wheel Steering."
-- bnip, Jan 18 2010


the "parallel" part is baked in the Honda/Acura: on the highway you can crab over to the next lane. Not sure if it worked for parking though: I imagine a dash-mounted lever would suffice; never owned one of them though, so I'm not sure.
-- FlyingToaster, Jan 18 2010


Sometime in the mid-90's, makers of SUV's and other large vehicles experimented with exactly this, making 4 wheel steering that had the rear wheels turn opposite the front at low speeds and high angles and in the same direction at high speeds and low angles.
-- RayfordSteele, Jan 20 2010



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