A Canadian inventor has designed a set of wheels that lets cars move in any direction, including sliding horizontally. The bizarre, sped-up, video shows his car doing a moonwalk-esque slide to the left and right before turning a full circle on the spot.
According to the tyres’ creator, William Liddiard, these are the first “bolt-on” omnidirectional wheels that can be added to any car and they don’t require a vehicle to be specifically built around them.
While they give your car the ability to perform nifty dance moves, these “Liddiard Wheels” still have the same characteristics as normal tires. They’re “designed to be used in all weather and road conditions,” said Liddiard.
These wheels are only a proof of concept, but Liddiard is on the lookout for a company that would consider licensing the technology or partnering with him to bring it to market.
He doesn’t give any details about the technology behind his creation, but other omnidirectional wheels work by having small discs around the outside edge of the wheel which allow the wheel to slide sideways as well as be driven forwards and backwards.
