Fiat Chrysler teaches industrial robot to play basketball

Fiat Chrysler have taught a robot to play basketball.

There is a fair chance that your next new car could be built by a robot which, in its spare time, can play basketball, as revealed in a video in which the robot takes on NBA champion Marco Belinelli.

Comau, the industrial robot and automation division of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, used the skills of Italian NBA champion and player for the San Antonio Spurs, Marco Belinelli, to show 'Racer', one of its industrial robots, how to play basketball and to demonstrate levels of control, movement and accuracy now achieved by its products.

"Racer is something fabulous," said Belinelli. "When I saw it for the first time I was amazed by the ease with which it performs the movements and gestures that helped score so many baskets with such speed, fluid movements and accuracy.

Watch: Fiat teaches a robot to shoot hoops

"I think it's better to have Racer on your side," joked Belinelli, "especially in a free throw challenge! Even though it cannot fully replace a human being, a robot, in reality, can help in many occasions. I helped Racer shoot at the basket; Racer can help people work better. I believe that from this union, perfection can be created."

Racer is one of wide range of industrial robots produced by Comau and used in production lines around world. Comau, which is a division of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, employs 14,000 people in 15 countries around the world building automation systems for welding and assembling automotive body shells, machining and engine assembly systems as well as a wide range of robots and automation systems for numerous applications.