CES: Carrera presents a trackless racetrack
Carrera has developed a racetrack whose cars can be controlled via a smartphone app in collaboration with Sturmkind GmbH in Bünde, East Westphalia. Two versions of the "Carrera Hybrid" are due to be released this year in time for Christmas.
At CES 2024, Carrera and Sturmkind will be showing a prototype with 3D-printed vehicle models that will soon go into production. The project combines the classic Carrera track with gaming aspects. The vehicles do not run on rails, but on a plastic track on which they navigate using a printed pattern of triangles.
Control Carrera cars via app
The car models connect via Bluetooth to a free smartphone app, which will be available for Android and iOS from the start of sales. Artificial intelligence allows the cars to stay on the road independently if desired. Steering is done by tilting the smartphone. The app provides the accelerator and brake via buttons on the left and right.
Levels for beginners and experts
In addition to difficulty levels for beginners and experts, the app offers time trial, qualifying and lap racing modes, as well as a mode in which the vehicles drive around the living room floor without being tied to a track, for example. Up to 30 players can also compete against each other over the Internet. You only need an online connection if you want to play online.
Porsche models with optical sensors
The vehicle models use an optical sensor to scan the ground and orient themselves on the track. Incidentally, something similar has already been developed for real motor vehicles: In the Ranger system from the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), cameras recognize the fingerprint of the road for navigation purposes.
Two different starter sets
Carrera's model cars are equipped with a position sensor and an M4 core processor. The internal battery is charged via a USB-C socket on the underside. After 20 minutes of charging, the car should be able to drive for 30 minutes. Transferred to the scale, they drive at a simulated top speed of over 300 km/h. In real life, they travel at 1.5 m/s, i.e. a good 5 km/h.
Carrera is planning two different starter sets, each costing less than 200 euros. Each set includes two 1:50 scale models of the Porsche 911 GT3, in the Carrera Hybrid "Devil Drivers" set in red and black, and in the "Speedway to Hell" version in green and yellow.
Also included are fifteen track sections: ten straights, four corners and a track section for the start and finish. Carrera also plans to offer two additional individual vehicles. Prices for these have not yet been set. Models from other manufacturers are to follow later.
Source: www.heise.de