Recently a new type of dark ride system was teased by Canadian ride manufacturer CAVU Designwerks on their website. It will be co-developed by KUKA Robotics, the German industrial robot manufacturer, known for their expertise in robot arm technology. The website asks visitors to ”stay tuned for the launch of our first innovative vehicle”, which would imply that further information is coming soon.
CAVU Designwerks is best known for their involvement with Flying Theatres and simulator rides like Battle For Eire at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. CAVU has presented dark ride systems in the past, like their Self Driving Vehicle, but no dark rides by CAVU exist as of yet, to our knowledge. Meanwhile KUKA Robotics has lent their expertise to create the so-called ”Robocoasters” used on dark rides like Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey at various Universal Parks and Batman: Knight Flight at Warner Bros World Abu Dhabi.
In an interview with Blooloop, Mark Stepanian of CAVU Designwerks explains: ”We are known as innovators in the industry, and by combining our talented teams, we are able to create a better experience for park-goers worldwide”. He proceeds to state that they want to utilise KUKA’s proven technology to create new ride concepts.
The teaser image on the website shows a prototype of the vehicle in the works: a car with large wheels on either side with an unusual grip profile. It will likely be a trackless system, with various sensors hidden in the compartment in the front and an emergency stop button on both sides. Found on top are 4 luxurious seats in which guests will be secured with a belt.
