Origins of the Remote Control Car

The beginnings of the remote control car can besold in the early 1970s.
traced back to the 1940s, when small,During that period, several commercial products were
nitromethane-powered engines first entered themanufactured by small firms in the United States. Most
market. At the time, the only way to control anof these companies started out as slot car companies,
engine-powered model car was with a tether. Whilethen moved into the remote control car field, which
these cars were fast, they merely ran in a circle fromwas becoming more popular. Early kits were 1/8 scale
the tether. In the late 1960s, the first miniaturized solidnitro-powered aluminum flat pan cars powered by a
state radio control systems were introduced, allowing.21 or smaller engine, with the bodies made of
model cars to have servo-controlled steering, throttle,polycarbonate.
and brake functionality that could be remotelyIn 1976, the Japanese firm Tamiya released a series of
controlled from a transmitter unit.highly detailed but mechanically simple electric on-road
Several early commercially viable remote control carscar models. Although more expensive, these kits and
became available by 1966, produced by El-Giradio systems sold quickly. Soon, Tamiya began to
(Elettronica Giocattoli), a company from Reggio Emilia,produce more purpose-built remote-controlled model
Italy. Their first remote control car model was a 1:12cars, and were the first to release off-road buggies
Ferrari 250LM. This was followed by their 1:10 Ferrariwith real suspension systems. This allowed remote
P4 model, which was first shown at the Milan Toy Faircontrol cars to be driven virtually anywhere, not just on
in early 1968. Between the mid to late 1960s, a Britishbitumen and smooth surfaces. It was this development
company called Mardave also began to producetoward the off-road class that brought about much of
commercially viable remote control cars. Their firstthe hobby's popularity.
products were nitro- or gas-powered cars which were