Zümi is a tiny self-driving car kit that teaches you AI programming

Once upon a time artificial intelligence and self-driving cars were the stuff of futuristic sci-fi flicks. But they’re now a reality. Real self-driving cars have hit the roads, and AI smarts can be found in everything from smartphones to glossy 4K TVs. Robolink has created a little programmable toy car that goes by the name of Zümi, who aims to teach you how AI tech and self-driving cars actually work. On Kickstarter from around £114, Zümi teaches you skills in machine vision, routing algorithms, basic robotics and the programming language, Python. By following step-by-step tutorials, you can teach Zümi different routes, as well as how to understand your hand gestures and recognise different objects. Equipped with facial recognition, industry-standard open source tools and an OLED screen with different eye expressions, the little car is due to starting shipping worldwide May 2019.