There is cool and then there is cool. Alright, I guess this isn’t that cool — it seems sort of dangerous, after all — but it’s still neat. Neat is a good way to describe iDriver, an iPhone app that turns regular automobiles into full size remote control cars. Yup. Full. Size. Remote. Control. Cars.
Currently, it only works with the specially rigged van seen in the video above. There are buttons for accelerating and braking, along with a steering wheel that uses the iPhone’s accelerometer capabilities. The app communicates with the van via Wi-Fi, giving the “driver” the ability to “drive” remotely with visual assistance provided from the live video streaming from the van’s rooftop camera. (Greg’s note: Lag kills. In this case, lag kills pedestrians.)
In case you are wondering, iDriver is not commercially available, yet (and who knows if it will ever be…doubtful). It was developed by researchers from the artificial intelligence team at the Free University of Berlin and was created by mobile phone software developers at Appirion UG.
If for some reason full size remote control cars are not your thing, maybe you would prefer NerdKits DIY iPhone remote controlled R/C car project instead. Either way, happy iMotoring.
[via Telegraph]