This humanoid robot can drive cars — sort of

The main objective of the humanoid robot, Musashi, developed by researchers at the University of Tokyo, is to explore the possibility of using a humanoid robot behind the wheel as the key to autonomous cars that don't run over pedestrians and crash into telephone poles. The researchers aim to improve the robot's driving capabilities, such as turning corners, respecting traffic signals, and maintaining consistent speeds, to potentially enhance autonomous vehicle technology.

Musashi, the "musculoskeletal humanoid" developed by researchers at the University of Tokyo, is able to "see" and navigate the road while driving an electric car through the use of two cameras that act as its eyes. These cameras allow Musashi to view the road ahead, as well as the images reflected in the car's side mirrors. This visual information, combined with the robot's ability to interact with the car's controls using its mechanical hands and anti-slip feet, enables Musashi to drive the car and navigate turns while respecting traffic signals. However, it should be noted that there are limitations to Musashi's driving capabilities, such as difficulty in maintaining a consistent speed and hesitation in accelerating during turns. The researchers are working on improving these aspects in future iterations of the robot and its software.