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Sony patents a PSP-controlled car ... yes, they've done this photo

It is very rare that an idea comes along that is at once both truly brilliant and utterly stupid, but you can be sure that Sony is usually behind it. The latest hare-brained scheme to come from Sony's idea lab is a PSP-controlled car, the patent for which has recently surfaced. That is as awesome as it is ridiculous.

As with many patents, it's more than likely this will never see the light of day. That's a shame, because I genuinely would like a toy car that I could control with my PSP. It would take me back to my childhood and the era of RC vehicles, and I would not be ashamed to play with it. Not as much as I should be, anyway. 

The car would be controlled using the PSP's wireless function, and would also have a camera mounted to the top of it, allowing players to remotely view the vehicle's surroundings on the PSP screen itself. How awesome is that? The user would be able to record the camera footage as a movie, and as if that wasn't enough, the proposed car (known only as 200) has a built-in microphone that can play music or realistic vehicle sounds. 

The "200" could also be used in special videogames. The potential here is immense, as the PSP screen could theoretically transform images of your living room and turn them into virtual environments to create what is being called an "augmented reality" for the car to drive around in, with invisible boundaries dictated by the player.

Sony, if you do one thing right this year, let it be the release of this inane, wonderful thing.








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Jim Sterling serves as reviews editor for Destructoid.com, head of the Podtoid podcast, and produces a number of news stories, original features, one-of-a-kind videos. With his passionate argumentative style, controversial opinions, harsh delivery, and dedication to brutal honesty Sterling is a name that you can't help but recognize. Likes PS2, iPod Touch, Silent Hill 2, Metal Gear Solid, Dynasty Warriors 3 Meet the rest of the team



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19 comments | showing # 1 to 19
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otogi guy's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/10/2009 18:48
otogi guy
lol, chasing your cat or dog in fps mode. nice!
UCHU's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/10/2009 18:50
UCHU
Oh god, I love patent drawings.
eternalplayer2345's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/10/2009 18:52
eternalplayer2345
I was much more interested when I thought you were referring to an automobile
Jack Maverick's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/10/2009 18:54
Jack Maverick
If the car is anything like the PSP, I would expect the car to stop running after about ten minutes. lol just kidding, but the PSP really shouldn't eat batteries that fast.

However, a Sony Car as ludicrous as that sounds, I'd imagine it would be alright. However, I want to see Nintendo do something like this, make a DS/DSi-controlled car then we could have something other than console wars and handheld wars. It'd be awkward but awesome all at once.
Diverse's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/10/2009 19:02
Diverse
Please don't tell me it's supposed to control a smart car.
Josh Tolentino's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/10/2009 19:22
Josh Tolentino
Didn't Solid Snake control the Metal Gear Mk. II with a PSP?
Chronic Logic's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/10/2009 19:34
Chronic Logic
So it's a remote controlled car with a camera strapped on it? If this came out a couple decades ago, I might have been excited.
Johnny Justice's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/10/2009 20:40
Johnny Justice
"Didn't Solid Snake control the Metal Gear Mk. II with a PSP?"

He used a DualShock 3. But still, that may have been an inspiration.
zackxz16's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/10/2009 21:09
zackxz16
can I ducktape a camera to a car and get a patent?
Naim Master's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/10/2009 21:29
Naim Master
Needs a lot more of David Hayter to get me interested ...
Darren Nakamura's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/11/2009 00:01
Darren Nakamura
It's like in that one James Bond movie.
tkyy's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/11/2009 01:07
tkyy
Suicide Car Bomb!
coffeesash's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/11/2009 01:47
coffeesash
I want 'a built-in microphone that can play music' xD
fykdig's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/11/2009 06:57
fykdig
BEER BOT!
Rosseh's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/11/2009 08:07
Rosseh
I was thinking more along the lines of Home Alone 3, yeh that's right.
wanderingpixel's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/11/2009 08:14
wanderingpixel
I can use it to spy on people. IT IS THE STALKING OF THE FUTURE!
whormongr's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/11/2009 13:52
whormongr
how long before it ends up in a girl's locker room and legal hilarity ensues
LsTr Of SmG's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/14/2009 17:09
LsTr Of SmG
This would be totally cool in a totally uncool way. In other words day one purchase if ever released.
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