Superhero-Inspired Design

It’s no coincidence that the “Raider”—one of seven vehicles conceptualized by engineers at UK-based BAE Systems (baesystems.com) as part of its Future Protected Vehicle program—bears a striking resemblance to Batman’s “Tumbler” from the Batman Begins and Dark Knight movies—its design is based on it. “We decided that we didn’t have a monopoly on inspiration,” project leader Hisham Awad said at the vehicle unveiling. “If we saw something in a film that we thought might be a good idea, why not take a look at it and see if there’s something practical we can develop.” Raider is a modular, autonomous ground vehicle capable of traveling at high speeds over challenging terrain. The objective of the BAE program was to come up with ways to integrate advanced tech into a new generation of light-weight armored vehicles. If developed, you won’t need to shine a signal into the night sky to summon it.