During this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, professional drift racer Vaughn Gittin Jr. teamed up with Samsung to exhibit the capabilities of the new Galaxy S10 5G smartphones and their associated low-latency cellular network in remotely driving—and drifting—cars, including a modified Lincoln MKZ, from a considerable distance.
To achieve this feat, Samsung had professional drifter Vaughn Gittin Jr. sit inside the American sedan, covering its windows and attaching cameras and phones to the roof. In this setup, the car’s functions—such as steering, acceleration, and braking—were all connected to servo motors within the actual vehicle, which were controlled remotely from a distance. Following a brief test run from the passenger seat while someone else operated the setup from a remote location, it was time for the Formula D superstar to immerse himself in the excitement.
Upon donning a VR system based on smartphone technology, Gittin wasted no time in taking control of the RC Lincoln for some spirited driving. Professional drifters possess a keen sensitivity to any lag in a vehicle’s response, yet Gittin experienced no delays in the system—providing him no grounds for complaint.
“There are no interruptions; all my commands take effect instantly,” Gittin remarked as he executed several smoky drifts with the Lincoln. “To perform these maneuvers with a vehicle, one must anticipate every move, and I am astonished at how well these commands are being executed.”
“If there were any delays or latency in the video feed or car controls right now, I would be completely out of control.”
While this serves as an impressive display of technology, a single remotely managed vehicle doesn’t imply that all cars will be driven from a central location within the next decade (though some individual in Silicon Valley may be pitching this concept to investors at this very moment). Not only is it safer for a driver to be physically present in the car, but outsourcing your driver doesn’t necessarily reduce costs, particularly considering the expensive suite of remote VR controls and cameras. Instead of relying on someone from afar to drive you to work, perhaps opt for an Uber… unless you’re prone to motion sickness.
