Kids race electric cars under watchful eye of professional Formula E drivers
A GROUP of lucky children were put through their paces as they raced mini electric cars – under the watchful eye of two top Formula E drivers.
Nissan Formula E Team drivers Norman Nato and Sacha Fenestraz were also grilled about their own experiences behind the wheel, as well as their views on electric vehicles.
Other questions asked what the future of motorsport could look like, before they put the children through their paces in mini electric cars.
It comes after research found children believe racing cars of the future will be able fly, ‘swim’ underwater and change colour on the go.
A group of 1,000 kids aged six to 10 were asked what they think motorsports will look like in 2043, with some believing the high-tech vehicles will be able to leap over other cars to avoid crashes.
Others think drivers will be able to create a ‘shield’ to protect cars from bumps, have tyres that can change themselves and be controlled by the driver’s mind.
Norman Nato, who was grilled during Nissan’s EV School series, said: “It’s important to teach kids about the future and all of them will be driving electric vehicles when they grow up.
“Everything we develop in our Formula E cars is designed to make a better tomorrow.
“We work hard on creating technology that becomes available in electric road cars and it’s exciting for me to be at the forefront of innovation.’’
The study, carried out via OnePoll, also found three in 10 youngsters think there will be video-game style sections of the track which give cars a speed boost.
And 21 per cent wouldn’t be surprised to see high-tech shifting racetracks, where every lap has a different layout.
Youngsters also think robots will take over the world and eventually replace humans behind the wheel, however 69 per cent would still love to meet a real-life racing driver.
Nearly one in five (19 per cent) want to ask how old they were when they first raced a car, and 12 per cent would ask for tips on how to become one themselves.
It also emerged 27 per cent of the kids surveyed watch motorsports on TV, and 44 per cent have enjoyed watching an e-Sport.
Sacha Fenestraz said: “The future of Formula E is going to be extremely exciting and it’s great to hear what the next generation of drivers think it will look like.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen in the next 20 to 30 years, maybe we’ll be able to race in flying cars, but I hope robot drivers don’t replace us.”
20 things kids think race cars will be able to do in the future
1. Fly
2. Swim through water
3. Change colour
4. Drive fast on snow and ice
5. Jump over other cars
6. Create a shield to protect the car from crashes
7. Go a million miles an hour
8. Robot pit assistants
9. Transform into something else, like transformers
10. Drive as fast in reverse as they do forwards
11. Move at the speed of light
12. Have tyres that change themselves
13. Shoot lasers
14. Be controlled by your mind
15. Spherical wheels (like a ball) to go in any direction
16. Turn invisible
17. Be controlled by your eyes
18. Shoot fire
19. Move other cars out the way
20. Teleport