"Digihaco Programming Car" Wins the 19th Hiroshima Good Design Award

World Area Networks Co., Ltd. is pleased to announce that on October 21, its "Digihaco Programming Car" received the Encouragement Award at the "19th Hiroshima Good Design Award," organized by the Hiroshima City Industrial Promotion Center (a public interest incorporated foundation).

Product concept

The "Digihaco Programming Car" was developed as car-shaped educational material that lets parents and children have fun together while learning the basics of making things and programming.
It comes as a set that includes a body kit made from laser-cut MDF, whose parts you detach and assemble yourself like a plastic model, along with a microcontroller (IchigoJam) and a module set.

After assembly, it comes with preset programs, so it can be driven right away. In addition, users can take on challenges such as a "programming challenge to make the car drive autonomously." Its key feature is that making things and programming can be learned together as one.

Content and support provided

• Assembly videos and explanatory videos for the Basic and Learning courses are available on YouTube.
• Review workbooks (Basic course, and first and second halves of the Learning course) are provided online to help reinforce learning.

Aims and expectations for the product

In recent years, with programming education becoming compulsory in elementary schools and the spread of STEAM education, interest in educational materials that children actually build with their own hands has been growing.
Through the flow of "build → program → drive," this product gives children hands-on experience of experimental, inquiry-based learning, such as "failing and fixing" and "testing how it moves."
It is designed for parents and children to work on together, and it also serves as a communication tool that lets families share their children's "Aha!" moments.

Future plans

We are also looking at introducing it to schools, cram schools, and organizations, and we are considering workshop-style events and proposing educational curricula that use the Programming Car.
Users have also asked for extensions such as an "autonomous driving challenge," "multi-course design," and "additional modules," so we expect it to be used as educational material over the long term.

Product overview

Expanding the possibilities of learning with XR

WAN also provides innovative XR-based solutions in the field of education and learning.
For inquiries about introduction or joint development, please feel free to contact us.