Autoblog

Sega arcade game cabinets turned into R/C car controllers

Zach Bowman — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Technology, Videos, Toys/Games

If you're one of those souls who prize vintage arcade cabinets, you may want to look away. A group has torn into a pair of classic Sega Rally games to create something a little more creative. Using the old steering wheel and pedal inputs, the team created a virtual racing game that controls real radio-control cars. The cool part is that the driver can choose from either an on-car camera or a top-down view as a shout out to the racing games of old.

According to our friends at Engadget, the project only ran into one real challenge, which was getting the feed to pump through the old CRT monitors in the cabinets. In the end, the guys had to scrap using the old tubes in favor of a more modern screen.

Sure, it breaks our hearts a little to see Sega Rally get cut on, but we'd be lying if we said we didn't want to spend an hour or two behind the wheel of this duo. You can check out the creation in the video below.

Continue reading Sega arcade game cabinets turned into R/C car controllers

Sega arcade game cabinets turned into R/C car controllers originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 03 Dec 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Learn how to turn an R/C car into an autonomous vehicle

Zach Bowman — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 19:01:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Technology, Videos, Toys/Games

If you're anything like us, you likely have more than a few remote controlled cars collecting dust in the basement. Instructables.com has taken the time to show us just what can be accomplished with a little time and motivation using those machines and some low-buck electronics. Namely, your own battery-powered autonomous machine.

Randy Sarafan has worked up a step-by step instruction manual for creating a basic robot capable of sensing and avoiding obstacles of its own accord. While basic, the platform allows for greater customization, including more complex logic and the addition of an array of sensors.

Sounds like a good time to us. You can click past the jump to check out a video of Sarafan's machine or head over to Instructables.com for the full briefing. If you get crazy with your own R/C collection, be sure to drop us a line and show us what you came up with.

Continue reading Learn how to turn an R/C car into an autonomous vehicle

Learn how to turn an R/C car into an autonomous vehicle originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Reckless Racing 2 video game turned into radio-controlled reality

Zach Bowman — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 14:58:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Etc., Technology, Videos, Toys/Games, UK

If you've never played Reckless Racing 2, odds are you've taken the helm of similar games in the past. Players are given control of a vehicle viewed from above as it bashes its way around a dirt track with other cars.

Sony Ericsson recently partnered up with noted car hacker James Brighton to create a real-life version of Reckless Driving 2 using a pair of droptop MG models and Sony's new Xperia Studio smartphone. Sony and Brighton then invited Martin Noriander, the developer behind Reckless Racing 2, and journalist Hunter Skipworth to compete head-to-head with the real-life cars.

Who came out on top? We won't spoil it for you, but we will say there was a good bit of carnage as the duo tried to manipulate their chariots around the course. See below to check out the quick video for yourself.

Continue reading Reckless Racing 2 video game turned into radio-controlled reality

Reckless Racing 2 video game turned into radio-controlled reality originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 08 Mar 2012 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Schumacher Mi-3 lays claim to title of World's Fastest R/C car with 161.76 mph pass

Zach Bowman — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 12:31:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Technology, Toys/Games

Schumacher Mi-3 R/C Car - Click above to watch video after the jump

If you're reading these words, there's a good chance that there's at least one remote-controlled car sulking in your basement or garaged in a cardboard box in the attic. Most of us walk away from R/Cs for good once we get our hands on full-scale transportation, but a select few individuals keep tinkering with the scale models. Those guys go on to create some pretty awesome contraptions.

Guys like Nic Case. Case set the world record for the fastest remote controlled car a few years ago by clocking a top speed of 161.76 miles per hour with his custom-built racer.

The car uses a carbon-fiber chassis and $4,000 worth of electrical components to do the deed. If that's not crazy enough for your, Case says that he now has his heart set on building an R/C capable of ripping past the 200-mph barrier. The mad scientist says that he's currently in the midst of construction. Hit the jump to see the Schumacher Mi 3 whirr its way into the record books.

Continue reading Schumacher Mi-3 lays claim to title of World's Fastest R/C car with 161.76 mph pass

Schumacher Mi-3 lays claim to title of World's Fastest R/C car with 161.76 mph pass originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 13 Jun 2011 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hot Wheels introduces remote controlled Stealth Rides

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 08:02:00 EST

Filed under: Toys/Games

Hot Wheels has just rolled out two new R/C cars in the Stealth Rides line. The collapsible racers fit into their own cases which double as infrared remote controls. At the moment there are just two vehicles - one with wheels and another with treads - but in October Batman's Tumbler joins the party. The good news is they fit in any pocket, run for about 45 minutes and cost just $25. The not so good news is that when that 45 minutes is up you'll have to replace five watch batteries - three in the car, two in the remote - to get them going again. Click the link for the video at CNET. Hat tip to Sea Urchin

[Source: CNET]

Hot Wheels introduces remote controlled Stealth Rides originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 21 Sep 2010 08:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Caption Contest: Giving the gift of green against our better judgement

Chris Shunk — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 20:01:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Technology, Hatchback, Toys/Games, Electric

The move to electric-powered vehicles is still in its fledgling stages, but there are plenty of signs that the next few years will finally start ushering in battery-powered transportation for the masses. But there's one class of vehicle that has almost always been powered by batteries: R/C cars. Slap in a couple of 9-volt batteries and a slew of AA cells, and kids of all ages get to pretend they're Ken Block in the backyard until mom says it's time to clean up for supper.

Now that full-sized rides are finally "catching up" to their scaled-down counterparts, it appears that at least one toymaker, New Bright, has decided to take the next step: an R/C car that needs no batteries. It's called the Ecomobile, and it looks like a solar-powered freehand interpretation of a Smart ForTwo mated with a Toyota Prius. As you can see by its packaging, the Ecomobile takes great pride in the fact that it's ecopowered, economical and ecofriendly. It's even packaged in recyclable materials. It's $29.95. Al Gore can't stop smiling.

But how does it run? Well, you have to leave it out in the sun for one hour for every five minutes of play time. It's reportedly slow, too, and much like the EVs we've experienced in the real world, reviewers have said that the solar-powered toy doesn't quite run as long as its OEM-promised times state. Sound like fun? We don't think so either. So, in the spirit of the holidays, we've decided to come up with some of our favorite captions and/or headlines for this eco-tastic (or is that eco-tragic?) new toy. Here are some of our not-so-hilarious efforts:

You traded in your sports car for a Prius? Now you can limit your children's fun too!
The Ecomobile: Because your kids aren't teased enough already
The perfect toy for the kid who likes to wait to have fun
Now mom can't bitch about leaving toys in the backyard
Sweet! A toy that kids north of the Mason-Dixon line can't play with until May

As you can plainly see, we need your help. Head for the comments section and give us your best headlines for this not-so-fun-looking toy. You won't win anything for trying, but your efforts could help a misguided parent choose a different (and cooler) toy for their kid.

Caption Contest: Giving the gift of green against our better judgement originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 13 Dec 2009 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Mazda RX-8 controlled through iPod touch

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 09:30:00 EST

Filed under: Gadgets, Technology

Click above to watch the video

Modern-day automotive geekery knows no bounds. Need proof? Check out the video after the break. You'll see a black Mazda RX-8 that's been modified with enough computer-controlled junk in the trunk to make it capable of performing all sorts of neat parlor tricks through a web application running on an iPod touch. For instance, the car's central locking system can be activated, the trunk can be popped and the engine can be started and shut back off. There's also a GPS feature that allows the car's location to be tracked through Google Maps.

As impressive as all of this is, the coolest part is that the car can be remote controlled from anywhere in the world via a 3G modem that keeps the computer connected to the web. We can only assume that the next step in the project will see the car's steering, acceleration and shifting controls connected through the phone, James Bond style.

[Source: Geek my Ride via Engadget]

Continue reading VIDEO: Mazda RX-8 controlled through iPod touch

VIDEO: Mazda RX-8 controlled through iPod touch originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 03 Apr 2009 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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