Wacky Racers to battle in Christchurch

A university's annual Wacky Racers' event, where students invent remote control vehicles and race them around a track, is being held in Christchurch tomorrow.

The University of Canterbury's Electrical and Computer Engineering department hosts the annual 'Wacky Racers' event at noon in the Undercroft, Puaka James Hight Building.

The final-year students will pit their design skills against each other in a race to the finish.

Controlling their model cars with a standard TV remote and a wireless connection, the young engineers can use weapons to try and interfere with opponents' vehicles.

Each model car is equipped with a camera to send images back to a computer.

"A huge amount of fun is had by the racers, while key principles from their study are demonstrated for the hordes of spectators who usually turn out for the 'Wacky Racers'," a university statement said.