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Mattel reveals toy car driven by INSECTS: $35 toy is controlled by the movement of a cricket trapped in its ‘cockpit’

Motion sensors in the cricket car move the battery-operated vehicle
The car doubles as a habitat, and can house up to five crickets at a time
Light show setting allows the user to observe the crickets to musical tunes

Published: 15:12 EST, 9 December 2015 | Updated: 18:00 EST, 9 December 2015

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While Google and others try to develop a a self driving car, toy maker Mattel has revealed a very different approach - letting a cricket drive.

Mattel has released a new toy race car for children ages six and up, and it’s piloted by insects

The toy is a vehicle and a cricket habitat all in one, and uses sensors inside to turn based on the cricket’s motion. Crickets, however, are not included.

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Look out for creepy-crawlies under the Christmas tree this year! Mattel has released a new toy race car for children ages six and up, and it’s piloted by crickets. The toy is a vehicle and a cricket habitat all in one, and uses sensors inside to turn based on the cricket’s motion. Crickets, however, are not included

HOW IT WORKS

The Bug Racer is a battery operated vehicle in the shape of a winged insect, and it’s ‘powered by eleCrickety.'

When the cricket is in the control room, motion sensors pick up on its every move.

In 'Cricket in Charge,' mode, the cricket will drive the car by itself. If it crashes into something, the vehicle will reverse and redirect.

The race car also doubles as a cricket habitat, and can hold up to five crickets.

The habitat is removable from the car for easy cleaning and transfer of crickets.

The Bug Racer is a battery operated vehicle in the shape of a winged insect, and it’s ‘powered by eleCrickety,’ according to the website.

The habitat can hold up to five crickets, and features four different driving modes.

Crickets will have to be purchased separately, and Mattel recommends medium to large crickets for best vehicle operation, around an inch in length.

Pressing the ‘Bug Button’ will allow the user to select the driving mode between the four options: Cricket in Charge, Drag Racing, Autodrive, and Light Show.

In Cricket in Charge mode, the cricket drives the car all by itself.

The habitat can hold up to five crickets, and features four different driving modes. Crickets will have to be purchased separately, and Mattel recommends medium to large crickets for best vehicle operation, around an inch in length. The cricket-powered car is not just a toy, but a learning experience for the owners

To get going, the cricket has to first be placed into the ‘control room,’ at the front of the race car, where the motion sensors will track its every move.

If the cricket crashes the vehicle into an obstacle, the Bug Racer will reverse and get back on track.

By pressing the bug button twice, the car will go into Drag Racing mode.

This selection requires a second Bug Racer, so friends can watch their crickets duel it out in a race.

To win a Bug Racer race, the crickets have 10 seconds to drive the farthest distance in a straight line.

The cricket-powered car is not just a toy, but a learning experience for the owners.

In Light Show mode, lights in the car will illuminate the crickets inside for better observation, set to a musical tune.

The website also explains the proper care for crickets, which generally have a lifespan between a few weeks and a few months.

The website also explains the proper care for crickets, which generally have a lifespan between a few weeks and a few months. Crickets get water from their food, so chopped pieces of fruit or vegetables, like apples or potatoes are a good source of nutrition, and don’t require added water

Crickets get water from their food, so chopped pieces of fruit or vegetables, like apples or potatoes are a good source of nutrition, and don’t require added water.

For children (or adults) who want to observe the crickets but are too afraid to handle them, the Bug Racer has a solution for that, too.

The ‘collection device,’ can be used to scoop up a cricket and deposit it into the control room or the habitat, without ever having to touch it.

For children (or adults) who want to observe the crickets but are too afraid to handle them, the Bug Racer has a solution for that, too. The ‘collection device,’ can be used to scoop up a cricket and deposit it into the control room or the habitat, without ever having to touch it