The IAA ( I.international A.automobileA.exhibition) and really fast racers? That fits perfectly even in times of traffic change. That is why o2 and COMPUTER BILD invited to a very special race in the o2 Wayra Tech Lab in Munich as part of the IAA. AUTO BILD and COMPUTER BILD readers competed there with Vrombr Race Cars, remotely controlled via 5G. The best: The participants were allowed to take a Galaxy Z Flip3 or a Galaxy Z Fold3 from Samsung home with them. In addition to the mobile phone, the winner received the smart Galaxy Watch 4. Who won?
The participants Manuela Bohne, Marcus Schönbein, Tobias Häuser, Martin Stroda, David Herrling and Marco Sassano (from left to right) fought a hot race for victory.
Off to the Wayra Tech Lab
Before the big race, there was a tour of the Wayra Tech Lab, where start-ups are working on exciting 5G projects. Wayra CEO Florian Bogenschütz and Tech Lab Manager Nora Alfen showed readers what great innovations are being created here. Particularly impressive: a robot that can be controlled manually and whose commands up to 10,000 other robots can carry out almost without delay thanks to 5G. The intelligent machines will soon be used in the automotive industry. In the Tech Lab, the technology is further improved and refined. After an extensive question and answer session, we went back to the racetrack. Of course, all those present paid close attention to compliance with the Corona rules – safety is not only mandatory on the racetrack.
The dashing speedsters from Vrombr were controlled by the readers with a Galaxy Fold3.
Turbulent warm-up laps
The highlight of the 5G race: the drivers can neither see the 5G race cars nor the route directly. Instead, a camera is mounted on every runabout, which transmits the image to the smartphone via lightning-fast 5G. Steering, accelerating and braking also work via the display. Because 5G works almost without delay, the miniature cars can be precisely controlled in real time from anywhere. In order to avoid excuses, each reader received a classy Samsung Galaxy Fold3 as a “steering wheel” before the start. And then it started. The first test rounds were turbulent despite 5G and top cell phones: A few speedsters made acquaintance with the gang, other cars crashed into each other. After a short time to get used to it, the participants pounded more and more confidently across the route, and things got serious: AUTO BILD versus COMPUTER BILD readers – who is the fastest?
Hot race for the title
Divided into two groups, the readers initially drove two semi-finals. COMPUTER BILD reader Marco Sassano qualified for the final in the race against David Herrling and Manuela Bohne. There AUTO BILD reader Martin Stroda was waiting for him, who prevailed against Tobias Häuser and Marcus Schönbein. In the final, the opponents fought a relentless race for the main prize and of course did not give each other an inch. Finally, COMPUTER BILD reader Marco Sassano raced across the finish line as the winner. The freshly minted 5G racing champion already showed in the test laps that he has a particularly good knack for speedsters. “My wife will be satisfied; she wanted the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4, ”he said happily. Marco Sassano received the brand new smartwatch at a festive award ceremony.
The lucky winner: Marco Sassano was the first to cross the finish line. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 was presented to the winner Marco Sassano in a festive award ceremony.
Happy winners
But the other participants could also be satisfied, as every reader was allowed to own a brand new Flip3 or Fold3 after the race. A group photo was the grand finale and heralded the end of the event. How did the readers like it? “It was a great experience – nice to see what is possible with the new 5G standard,” enthused Marcus Schönbein.
After the race, every reader was allowed to take a Samsung Galaxy Flip3 or Fold3 home with them.
Finalist Martin Stroda called the event a “cool action”: “First place would of course have been nicer, but I’m also happy as second. Especially since we all go home as winners with this great prize.” Above all, Tobias Häuser remembered the warm-up phase vividly: “The first laps were more like a stock car race. You can see the spectacle in the video below:
Battle of the giants
Not only the AUTO BILD and COMPUTER BILD readers fought hot races in the Wayra Tech Lab. Robin Hornig, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of AUTO BILD, competed against Markus Haas, CEO of Telefónica Germany. The opponents fought the race over a distance: Markus Haas was in the Wayra Tech Lab, and Robin Hornig drove his race car from the IAA. With great success thanks to 5G technology: Robin Hornig won the racing duel convincingly.
Robin Hornig, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of AUTO BILD, steered his speedster from the IAA exhibition center.
