The fine folks over at Siliconera have discovered a patent, filed by Sony, that has the potential to result in something truly awesome.  The filing details a remote-controlled car that is controlled by a PSP.  The car includes a mounted camera, which beams images back to the PSP so that the user can navigate remotely without having to be near the vehicle. 

Not only does this present incredible opportunities for spying on friends and loved ones (the patent specifically states that “a user may control the car… so as to spy on their friends… then upload the stored video images to a website”), but an additional planned technology, called “Augmented Reality Zones,” opens the door to countless gaming opportunities.  These Augmented Reality Zones are areas with virtual paths and obstacles that the user defines, creating a real race course with virtual parameters.  Once these Zones are established, the software could replace real objects with computer-generated images, creating a unique hybrid game that uses elements of the real and the virtual.

With sales of the PSP lagging far behind those of the DS, and the decline of the UMD format, Sony needs to freshen up the handheld’s image and give gamers a legitimate reason to buy what is essentially an incomplete console with a great display.  Outside the box projects like these may be just what they need to get people interested in the platform again.  What do you think?  Would you buy a PSP-controlled spy car?  More importantly, would you buy a PSP just so you could use the spy car?

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