An Autonomous “Follow Me” Power Wheels Car!

You’ve perhaps seen videos of the self-driving beer cooler floating around the Internet, but here’s a new twist on things: a Power Wheels-style car you can control remotely, or that can autonomously follow you around.

Developed by Ioannis Stoltidis as part of his Master’s thesis, the modified toy vehicle can be manually operated using a custom PC application and gamepad. It’s equipped with a webcam and Raspberry Pi, which hosts an SSH and motion server, allowing it stream video and other data to the remote driver.

The car can also track and shadow anyone carrying a specially-designed keychain that transmits Bluetooth and infrared signals, using a pair of Arduino Unos to decode signals and control motors directly. The IR signal shows the direction of the person, while Bluetooth strength readings give a distance between the vehicle and leader. It even comes with obstacle avoidance, thanks to several ultrasonic sensors on the hood and bumper.

You can read more about Stoltidis’ work here.