Forgotten movie cars - a Beetle called Dudu
12/01/2013
"Dudu come," said Jimmy Bondi (the name suggested James Bond's little brother) into a microphone hanging from his belt. And the yellow VW Beetle drove off on its own.
Dudu was the name of the Volkswagen, which constantly evolved in terms of model technology over the course of five films. He was, so to speak, the technocratic alternative to the animated Disney Beetle Herbie. Dudu was bursting with computer power and gadgets. He could fly like a helicopter, swim like a wire wing boat, box like a heavyweight world champion and climb like Reinhold Messner. What's more, his artificial intelligence was obviously also capable of developing a kind of self-confidence and stubbornness.
In any case, he was entertaining, otherwise five films - Dudu - Ein Käfer geht aufs Ganze (1971), Dudu - Ein Käfer gibt Vollgas (1972), Dudu - Ein Käfer auf Extratour (1973), Dudu - Das verrückteste Auto der Welt (1974), Dudu - Zwei tolle Käfer räumen auf (1978) - would hardly have been made. Joachim Fuchsberger was also involved in the filming.
In principle, Dudu could do what we call "autonomous driving" today, except that Dudu had already mastered it in the 1970s, at least in the movies.
Incidentally, the five films are also available in a DVD box set if anyone is looking for a more special Christmas present, for example at Amazon 
