While I'd normally start this article by making a comparison with some sci-fi movie, the truth of the matter is that technology has reached such a high degree of development nowadays that it's sometimes rather hard to tell it apart from fantasy. So, it's no wonder that devices like the RoboCar from Japanese company ZMP are starting to appear, providing some hints regarding what wonders the near future has in store for us.

As the guys over at LinuxDevices inform us, the RoboCar has been designed in order to enable development of vehicles with autonomous motion, accident-prevention safety technology, and intelligent transportation systems. It can also be used for testing of energy usage on electric or fuel-cell-powered cars, and employed as a general-purpose robotics platform for engineer training, according to ZMP.

In other words, what we're talking about here is a small-scale test platform for future intelligent vehicles, those things that, in a couple of years' time, will probably drive us around, making sure that we'll get home safe and sound. However, for the time being, the RoboCar won't be able to drive anyone around (well, unless you're the size of Tom Thumb or Tinkerbell), since it measures just around 17 x 7.7 x 8.4 inches.

Nevertheless, what's truly important to point out here is the complex computing platform this thing uses, built around an AMD Geode LX800 CPU running at 500MHz, accompanied by the Linux operating system (with soft real-time patch).

The RoboCar relies on an 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi module for communications, and uses a complex array of sensors for navigation, including here a stereo camera, gyro and acceleration sensors, infrared distance sensors, and independent rotary encoders for the four wheels and the main motor axis. The robot is powered by a 7.2V main NiMH battery pack, as well as a dozen of 1.2V AA NiMH batteries for control system and sports a carbon FRP chassis with double wishbone suspension, and an aluminum frame.

If you're interested in purchasing such a product, you should know that it retails for around $7,000 US without cover, Japanese manufacturer ZMP planning to release around 200 units of this thing per year. However, if you also want to add the optional image recognition module, the price tag will be bumped up to around 11,000 US dollars.


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