If you grew up loving the Transformers franchise, you may have dreamed of the day technology would bring your favourite robots to life.
Now, a Japanese engineering company has turned that childhood fantasy into a reality, with its 3.5-ton robot that transforms into a car within moments.
The Archax, designed by Tsubame Industries, is a 15ft-tall piloted mech able to go from a standing ‘robot mode’ into a streamlined ‘vehicle mode’ with the press of a button.
Incredible footage shows a pilot climbing in through the cockpit hatch and manipulating the robot’s arms and hands before switching modes and driving off.
Tsubame Industries has currently made five of the giant robots and plans to sell them for $3 million (£2.46m) each.
The Archax robot, designed by Tsubame Industries, can transform from a robot into a car while the pilot remains safely inside
The new robot bears an uncanny resemblance to Bumblebee from the Transformers movie franchise
Even though the pilot is sealed within the robot, they still have a 360-degree view of their surroundings through nine external cameras, which feed back to four screens which line the cockpit.
From within, the pilot uses two joysticks and pedals to control the robot’s movements, manipulating its arms in robot mode or steering it in vehicle mode.
Once in vehicle mode, the battery-powered robot’s four legs use real-wheel drive and front-wheel steering to reach not-quite blistering speeds of 10mph.
On social media, commenters were thrilled by the robot’s capabilities and design, which bears a strong resemblance to robots from video games and anime.
‘Getting closer to piloting Titanfall Mechs,’ one commenter wrote in reference to the popular video game featuring piloted mech combat.
‘Amazing work to all the engineers, designers, mechanics and everyone else involved in this beautiful piece of art and machine,’ they added.
Another excited fan quipped: ‘Awesome, pure awesomeness. This is what I live for, and I hope to experience this.’
The pilot climbs into the cockpit hatch via a ladder on the front of the robot. Once inside, the hatch will close behind them
Even though the pilot is sealed within the robot, they still have a 360-degree view of their surroundings through nine external cameras, which feed back to four screens which line the cockpit
What is a mech?
A mech, or mecha, generally refers to a large piloted robot or machine.
The term originates in Japan, and originally referred to any type of mechanical device.
Mechs have become a common trope in both video games and film, inside and outside Japan.
Popular examples include the Japanese anime ‘Mobile Suit Gundam’, or the ‘Pacific Rim’ films.
Mobile Suit Gundam popularized the idea of the mech as a giant piloted robot
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Others referenced the Archax’s Japanese design, with one commenter writing: ‘Go Japan! Always knew you would create these magnificent machines!’
Another wrote: ‘I always knew if there will ever be a real mech suit, it will come from a Japanese company. They know very well what is the coolest.’
Ryoda Yoshida, CEO of Tsubame Industries, said that the robot’s development was directly motivated by a desire to combine Japan’s stills in robotics and animation.
‘The initial reason for creating it was that I wanted to make a new vehicle,’ Mr Yoshida told Reuters.
‘In addition, Japan is really strong in the animation, games, and robot industries, as well as in automobiles.
‘So I thought it would be great if I could create a product that compressed all these elements into one that says, “This is Japan.”‘
The company adds: ‘Through our robots, we hope to create an entry point for children into manufacturing and connect their skills to the next generation of engineers.
‘We will pursue the dream of childhood into reality with our solid technical capabilities, and the passenger robot as a product.’
Archax is intended to form a completely new market for luxury vehicles, taking ultra-luxury care and private jets as the benchmark for the product.
The firm expects the main customers to be wealthy people, both domestically and overseas.
However, in the future the company hopes its robots will one day be used in the space industry and to help with disaster relief.
Archex transforms into vehicle mode with its four legs providing real-wheel drive and front-wheel steering
Under the power of its electric motor, the 15ft tall robot is able to hit speeds of 10 miles/hour
