It's either the CIA's next technique for keeping track of kindergarten violence or the best thing to hit die-cast cars since working steering.
What are we talking about? Mattel's Video Racer cars. The latest generation of the world-famous Hot Wheels series will let kids everywhere see a previously unknown perspective on their mayhem, using a car-mounted camera and LCD screen.
Hot Wheels have been entertaining kids (and the young at heart) since 1968, producing accurate die-cast replicas of popular cars and some original designs, too. They've always been popular for their ability to speed across a surface with low-friction wheels, perfect for parents to stand on and slip down a staircase or for terrorizing family pets. Until now though, there's been limited room for innovation beyond different scales and improvements in casting and decals.
The tiny car-mounted video camera can shoot at between 30 and 60 frames per second. You can then view the video using the small LCD screen mounted on the belly of the car, or even downloaded to a computer via USB to share your craziest stunts on Youtube. You'll even be able to use Hot Wheels' own video editor to compile your clips.
Of course, technology this cool never comes cheap. A regular Hot Wheels car will set you back a couple of dollars, but the new Video Racers, due this Fall, will cost $60 per car. Knowing the punishment regular Hot Wheels are subject to at the hands of their younger customers, the camera cars are probably best left for slightly older children!
You can check out a video of how the cars work below:
The prospect of the Video Racers are bringing out the kid in all of us here at All Car Tech. We wonder if you'll be able to retro-fit the technology? Maybe we'll jury-rig a cell phone and a parking camera to an old Hot Wheels Chevy 1500...
[Mattel via Dvice]
