Puma's BeatBot is a real-life ghost car for runners

Ghost cars are a staple of racing games, allowing players to gauge their current lap with that of their all-time best performance through the use of a semi-transparent representation of the vehicle during the record lap.

Now, German athletics apparel company Puma has essentially created a ghost car for athletes. The Puma BeatBot is a small robotic RC car packed with nine infrared sensors and loads of technology designed to help runners reach their maximum potential through competition.

Using a smartphone app, runners can enter in the exact distance they want to race and the time they want to beat. The BeatBot will emulate that performance alongside the runner, allowing you to try and top your own best time, your rival’s best run or even Usain Bolt’s world-record 100 meter dash should you want to forever feel like a loser.

Unfortunately, you won’t be able to get your hands on the personal training robot as Puma says they’re simply too expensive to produce on a large scale. Instead, they’re being reserved for (Puma-sponsored?) athletes like Bolt.

Nevertheless, it’s a neat idea that could perhaps inspire others to create something similar.