You’re too late, Jeremy! Japan unveils a single-passenger robot car… and this one can drive itself
Worldwide, Daily news | ankakh | March 13, 2013 21:10
When Jeremy Clarskon showed off his personally-designed robotic car on a recent episode of Top Gear it was described as the world’s smallest.
But inventors inJapanhave gone one better – developing a tiny car that can automatically take passengers from A to B without them having to do a thing.
Japanese tech conglomerateHitachitoday revealed its new Robot for Personal Intelligent Transport System (Ropits, for short) in the city ofTsukubain theIbarakiPrefecture.
The one man mobility robot can pick-up and drop off a passenger autonomously, while, in emergencies, passengers can seize control of the vehicle using a joystick controller in the cockpit.
Originally developed to help those who have difficulty walking – an increasing number of people inJapan’s ageing society – Ropits is designed to be small enough to move through pedestrian spaces.
The Japanese robot is equipped with GPS to allow it to find its way, as well as laser distance sensors to look out for obstacles and a gyro sensor to help it stay upright while negotiating uneven ground.
Passengers need only specify their desired destination on a touch-screen map and the machine will automatically drive them there.
The vehicle is also equipped with ‘active suspension’ which controls each wheel individually to enable it to tackle curbs and uneven ground while keeping passengers comfortably upright.
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