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Russian Enthusiasts Modify Car to Be Controlled via iPad

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macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
63,458
30,673



A group of Russian car enthusiasts announced on their blog (translated via Red Hot Russia) that they have modified a car to be controlled remotely by an iPad.

The group used an iPad 3 and created an app to control the car via a host of added electronic components to control the acceleration, steering, braking and gear shifting in addition to seeing the road from the perspective of the car.

russianipadcar.png
While doing tests outside, I froze like a dog. Besides, the tablet screen quickly becomes wet and fingers numb and lose sensitivity, making tapping on the screen more difficult. Also, in the street it's difficult to see clearly the picture from the rear view mirror - the screen brightness is not sufficient. Plus the windshield is quickly covered with snow.
Click to expand...
The car was initially called the "James Bond Car," inspired by a scene from Bond film "Tomorrow Never Dies" where Bond controls his car with a phone. After the initial test, they started referring to the car as "Opel Virta," a play on the model of the car, which is an Opel Vectra.

​
The iPad-controlled setup is actually transferrable to any car with an automatic transmission that houses a direct transmission selector, which means that controls like "drive," "neutral," "reverse" and "park" are in a straight line.

Article Link: Russian Enthusiasts Modify Car to Be Controlled via iPad
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2013/03/13/russian-enthusiasts-modify-car-to-be-controlled-via-ipad/
SmileyBlast!

SmileyBlast!

macrumors 6502a
Mar 1, 2011
654
43
Cool but dangerous. You need the tactile depth of touch of the steering wheel and the pedals to feel the road and control the car.

You lose perspective trying to do this with an iPad.
There is this scene in a James Bond movie where he controls his car during a high-speed chase from the back seat with his cell phone touch screen.
It was cool but completely unbelievable.

Most people couldn't do it.
 
Jayomat

Jayomat

macrumors 6502a
Jan 10, 2009
703
0
SmileyBlast! said:
Cool but dangerous. You need the tactile depth of touch of the steering wheel and the pedals to feel the road and control the car.

You lose perspective trying to do this with an iPad.
There is this scene in a James Bond movie where he controls his car during a high-speed chase from the back seat with his cell phone touch screen.
It was cool but completely unbelievable.

Most people couldn't do it.
Click to expand...

you don't say?! ;)
 
M

Makosuke

macrumors 604
Aug 15, 2001
6,661
1,242
The Cool Part of CA, USA
It would take some practice, and you wouldn't be able to drive as well as someone sitting behind the wheel with full force-feedback from the controls, but with sufficient practice you most certainly could handle a car outfitted (properly) with a system like this under normal, and even moderately challenging conditions.

I'm not saying it should be street-legal, and I'd certainly not want somebody controlling it anywhere remotely near other people unless they were physically in the car, but you certainly could do remote performance driving if you spent enough time getting a feel for it and had a way to visualize lateral G-force.

And regardless, I totally want one. I have no idea what I would do with it, but I want one. :)
 
J

JAT

macrumors 603
Dec 31, 2001
6,473
124
Mpls, MN
This seems a lot more like the van in Oceans 11 than James Bond's car.

Also, someone tell them that CVTs exist now. Better choice for starting out.
 
whooleytoo

whooleytoo

macrumors 604
Aug 2, 2002
6,607
716
Cork, Ireland.
Having seen some crazy road-rage incidents from Russian dash-cams, I'm not surprised they've figured out how to drive without being in the car!
 
U

unplugme71

macrumors 68030
May 20, 2011
2,827
754
Earth
The idea of remotely controlling your car is pretty cool but should never be allowed on public roads. Although it would be cool to not have to wait for valet service and drive your car right up to the door to pick you up.
 
Z

ZSipos

macrumors newbie
Mar 20, 2013
1
0
It can be done almost lug-and-play

Hello everyone,

I hope you don't mind if I share with you, that the Dension WiRc system could do this without too much hacking:))
8PWM channels and live video stream on WiFi, app available fot both iOS and Android.
wirc.dension.com

Regards,

Zoltan
 
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