Turkish Company Makes World’s First Real Transformer

Even if you’re not a young male or a fan of the Transformers toys or movies, you’ve got admit that this is really cool. A Turkish company has built an actual working Transformer robot out of an actual BMW. Should we be excited or afraid?

The Transformer was made by Letvision, a hardware and software engineering company based in Ankara. It has the support of Turkey’s Ministry of Industry and works with Intel, Microsoft and other high tech firms. To avoid any conflicts, Letvision’s ‘Transformers’ are called LETRONS.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWx2viSOjAs

Twelve engineers and four support technicians worked on ANTIMON, the first of the LETRONS. They used a stock BMW and worked on the conversion for eight months. As the promotional video shows, the vehicle and its conversion to ANTIMON are controlled remotely. Like its inspirations, the ANTIMON has kinetic fingers, arm and wrist movements and smoke. Unlike its inspirations, it can’t walk and can’t be driven on a highway.

Despite those limitations, Letvision is taking orders “if the buyers project and their reasons for use, meets the criteria of the LETRONS team.” Not to mention has a pile of cash or bitcoins, although Letvision doesn’t reveal their price. Buyers will be happy to know that other car models besides BMW can be used. Letvision says that the LETRONS will be street-legal soon in car mode and will be walking in robot mode as soon as a buyer pays for it. (Does it sound like Letvision needs a cash influx?)

While ANTIMON is the only LETRON so far, Letvision has revealed the designs and clever names for the next four robots: BIZMUT, ARGON, W0LFRAM and TANTAL.

Sure, the LETRONS look like expensive toys – isn't that true of most high-end sports cars? But it would all be worth it on that one fateful day when a pickup truck cuts in front of you and takes that last space in the parking lot.