Disney's new 'Cars' robots will help you find parking spots
What's the story
Disney has unveiled a new four-wheeled robot, designed to guide cars into vacant parking spots. The prototype was shown at the Disney Accelerator Demo Day and was developed in collaboration with Irvine-based robotics firm Field AI. The innovative company was founded in 2023 by former engineers from tech giants such as Google DeepMind, NASA, NVIDIA, and Tesla.
Partnership
Robot developed as a joint project
The parking assistant robot was developed as a joint project between Walt Disney Imagineering and Field AI.
The main goal of this collaboration was to test the performance of these robots and gage public reaction toward them.
However, despite the demonstration at the event, Disney has not yet announced any plans for deploying these robots in Disneyland's parking facilities.
Design
The robot has a big front-mounted screen
The robot is a perfect blend of advanced technology and creative design.
It features a big front-mounted screen that looks like a windshield, with animated eyes and moving eyelids.
The roof-mounted sign changes its message to guide drivers toward open spaces, acting like a mobile version of the static directional signs already seen in resort lots.
Inspiration
Design inspired by Pixar movies like 'Cars'
The robot's design is heavily inspired by Pixar movies like Cars and WALL-E.
It even has two small arms with red lights, which wave at approaching drivers like an aircraft marshaller guiding a plane into its gate.
This multi-faceted approach to human-robot communication is not just unique to Disney but also a challenge for automakers developing driver assistance systems for production vehicles.