Anyone who sat behind the wheel of a car as a kid and imagined they were driving it may wish they could turn back the clock and move to the UK. Young Driver Motor Cars Limited recently completed production of a two-seater car designed specifically for kids from five to ten years old, and they're looking for test drivers to give it a go.
The company describes this as a state-of-the-art training car nine months in the making. It's a two-seater that features twin electric motors, disc brakes, independent suspension, right or left hand drive steering, and a system that detects obstacles and stops the car to avoid collisions. The latter is probably necessary for young drivers whose reaction time isn't yet fully developed.
The car will only have a top speed of 10 mph (16 km/h), and that collision avoidance system includes a special cut-off mechanism that will kill those twin motors if a crash is imminent. It will also come with a remote control that will allow parents to bring the car to a stop if necessary.
Young Driver Motor Cars is a division of Young Driver, a UK-based company that specializes in teaching kids from 10 to 17 years old how to drive – the idea being that the more experience kids get early on, the better drivers they'll be once they get their license. The company said the development of the training car for kids will give them an even earlier start toward achieving that goal. All of their driving lessons are in controlled environments with a qualified driving instructor. Lessons in the new vehicle are expected to start at around £20 (about US$29).
The company is introducing the car at this year's Gadget Show running from March 31 to April 3 in Birmingham, England, where kids will have a chance to try the new vehicle and give the company their feedback. Young Driver emphasizes that this is not a toy, and the group plans to incorporate it into its learning program in May.
Brave parents who want to buy the new vehicle for their kids will have to wait until November of this year, then pay the estimated list price of £5,000 ($7,195).
Source: Young Driver