蟲蟲玩具車：蟋蟀來當駕駛員

While Google and others try to develop a a self driving car, toy maker Mattel has revealed a very different approach - letting a cricket drive.
就在谷歌和其它商家研發無人駕駛汽車的時候，玩具製造商美泰公司展現了它的獨特策略——讓蟋蟀開車。

Mattel has released a new toy race car for children ages six and up, and it’s piloted by insects.
美泰公司發佈了一款全新的賽車玩具，針對六歲及以上兒童，由昆蟲駕駛。

The toy is a vehicle and a cricket habitat all in one, and uses sensors inside to turn based on the cricket’s motion. Crickets, however, are not included.
該玩具車集車子和蟋蟀棲身室於一體，通過內置傳感器實現“蟋蟀活動的方向即爲車身行駛的方向”。

The Bug Racer is a battery operated vehicle in the shape of a winged insect, and it’s ‘powered by eleCrickety,’ according to the website.
網站上寫道，“蟲蟲賽車”是一款需要安裝電池的飛蟲形賽車，屬於“蟋蟀電動車”。

The habitat can hold up to five crickets, and features four different driving modes.
這種賽車內最多可以同時放置五隻蟋蟀，駕駛模式分爲四種。

Crickets will have to be purchased separately, and Mattel recommends medium to large crickets for best vehicle operation, around an inch in length.
蟋蟀需要單獨購買。爲了駕駛方便，美泰公司建議顧客購買身長在一英寸左右的中到大型蟋蟀。

Pressing the ‘Bug Button’ will allow the user to select the driving mode between the four options: Cricket in Charge, Drag Racing, Autodrive, and Light Show.
按下“昆蟲鍵”就能選擇不同的駕駛模式：蟋蟀駕駛模式、直線競速模式、自動駕駛模式和燈光模式。

In Cricket in Charge mode, the cricket drives the car all by itself.
蟋蟀駕駛模式下，汽車完全由蟋蟀駕駛。

To get going, the cricket has to first be placed into the ‘control room,’ at the front of the race car, where the motion sensors will track its every move.
開始前，先將蟋蟀放入賽車前端的“控制室”，這樣運動傳感器就可以追蹤到蟋蟀的每個動作。

If the cricket crashes the vehicle into an obstacle, the Bug Racer will reverse and get back on track.
如果蟋蟀駕駛過程中撞到障礙物了，“蟲蟲賽車”會自動倒車，返回正軌。

By pressing the bug button twice, the car will go into Drag Racing mode.
按兩次昆蟲鍵，汽車就會進入直線競速模式。

This selection requires a second Bug Racer, so friends can watch their crickets duel it out in a race.
這個模式需要兩輛“蟲蟲賽車”，以便朋友之間觀看蟋蟀對決。

To win a Bug Racer race, the crickets have 10 seconds to drive the farthest distance in a straight line.
要想贏得比賽，蟋蟀要在十秒鐘內走出最長的直線距離。

The cricket-powered car is not just a toy, but a learning experience for the owners.
這款由蟋蟀驅動的賽車不僅是一款玩具，對擁有者來說也是一次學習經歷。

In Light Show mode, lights in the car will illuminate the crickets inside for better observation, set to a musical tune.
燈光模式中，車內的燈光會照亮蟋蟀，以便人們更好地觀察它們。此外還能播放音樂。

The website also explains the proper care for crickets, which generally have a lifespan between a few weeks and a few months.
網站上還說明了蟋蟀的飼養方法，這種昆蟲的生命週期通常只有幾周或幾個月。

Crickets get water from their food, so chopped pieces of fruit or vegetables, like apples or potatoes are a good source of nutrition, and don’t require added water.
蟋蟀從食物中汲取水分，所以切碎的水果和蔬菜（蘋果和土豆等）就是很好的養料，不需要額外加水。

For children (or adults) who want to observe the crickets but are too afraid to handle them, the Bug Racer has a solution for that, too.
有些兒童（或成年人）想仔細看看蟋蟀但卻不敢觸碰，針對這個問題，這款玩具也有解決方案。

The ‘collection device,’ can be used to scoop up a cricket and deposit it into the control room or the habitat, without ever having to touch it.
賽車配有“收集裝置”，顧客可以用它剷起蟋蟀，將其放在控制室或安置所，一下都不用碰。

Vocabulary
habitat：棲息地
scoop up：用鏟子取