Meet J-Deite RIDE, The World’s First Fully Functional Transformer
Why It’s Lit
Because Joe Blow’s normal Joe Schmoe car can’t f-bombing transform into a 13-foot robot!
Believe It Or Not
Three companies from Japan Asratec Corp, Sansei Technologies, and Brave Robotics made the Transformer dream a reality.
Believe It Or Not
The J-Deite Ride is a full-scale, rideable, shape-shifting robot straight out of a sci-fi fantasy. Unlike those clunky concept models, this one actually transforms from a humanoid robot to a sleek, futuristic car.
Developed by Asratec in collaboration with Brave Robotics and SoftBank-owned Amuse Inc., this ambitious piece of engineering combines robotics with real-world applications.
Standing at 3.7 metres tall in robot mode and stretching 4 metres long in vehicle form, it is both a technological flex and an undeniable head-turner.
Its real innovation lies in its transformation system, powered by V-Sido, Asratec’s proprietary control software that allows for smooth, synchronised motion.
The J-Deite Ride doesn’t just shift shapes; it can walk, move its arms, and—most impressively—carry two passengers while doing so. The fact that it transforms seamlessly between modes without requiring external dismantling is a feat of mechanical ingenuity.
While it’s not meant for mass production (sorry, future Autobot owners), it showcases how robotics and mobility technology can merge into something straight-up futuristic.
There are, of course, a few caveats.
The speed? Let’s just say you won’t be outrunning a bicycle.
The transition between robot and car mode, while smooth, takes a solid minute—hardly the instant morph we see in Hollywood.
And at an estimated development cost reaching into the millions, it’s more of a high-tech showpiece than a viable consumer product.
Founded in 2013 by Kenji Ishida, Asratec, a subsidiary of SoftBank, has been pushing the boundaries of robotics from its Tokyo headquarters.
Its mission? To develop next-generation robotics systems that bridge the gap between imagination and reality.
While the J-Deite Ride might not be rolling off assembly lines anytime soon, it’s proof that with enough ambition, even the most outrageous sci-fi dreams can take shape—literally.
So, if you ever wished your car could stand up and wave at pedestrians, well, you’re one step closer to the future, even if that future still moves at a brisk walking pace.
Drop This Fact
Optimus Prime is the most popular and iconic Transformer in the franchise who is played by Canadian voice actor Peter Cullen.
According to Peter, he came up with the original voice of Optimus Prime after talking to his brother Larry, a captain in the marine corp who just came back from Vietnam in 1984. Just before his Optimus Prime audition, Larry told Peter to be a real hero in real life and to be strong enough to be gentle.
Larry then pivoted his tone on the way to the audition from a monsterous one into something more gentle. Two weeks later he landed the roles of Optimus Prime and Ironhide.
