Founded in 1964, Associated Electrics manufactures radio-controlled (RC) cars for both racing and general use. The company has its own in-house engineering team responsible for designing and developing its models, and Mr. Curtis Husting, interviewed for this article, is one of its key members. Since 1977, Associated Electrics has produced 35 IFMAR world champions*. Some of these champions have now retired from racing and work full-time for the company, while other company employees continue to be actively involved with racing. Thanks to their expertise, the company can design truly competitive racing models.

‘Ready-to Run’ - popular across all generations

The company offers two types of RC cars: Ready-to-Run, fully assembled models that can be used straight out of the box and the Builder’s Kit, models that customers assemble themselves. Ready-to-Run models are popular with all age groups, Mr Husting noting that even his grandchild enjoys them. He added that Monster Truck, with its large tires and the possibility of dynamic movement, such as jumps, is especially popular with children.

Product development driven by racing experience

Looking towards the future, Mr. Husting emphasized the importance of continuous improvement saying, “We improve our products quality every year by applying the knowledge and skills we gain from competitions.” The VINTAGE BASH 3.0, an RC competition held in Australia from late October to early November last year was one such competition. The event took place on an outside track with mud and sand providing more challenging conditions than indoors. Heavier RC cars struggled to maintain speed due to increased friction. Based on this experience, Mr. Husting refined the model’s transmission, improving how the motor’s power is delivered to the tires and enabling the cars to maintain speed.
These enhancements, directly informed by real competition conditions, contribute to the development of even more advanced reliable products. As Mr Husting explained, “Of course we want to win races, so we adjust and improve our RC cars for each competition. But we also apply this knowledge to create higher-quality racing RC cars for the public.”

*IFMAR Championships
The IFMAR Championships are world-level RC cars competitions held by the non-profit organization, IFMAR, every two years in locations about the world, including the United States, Europe, and Asia. Categories include on-road, off-road, engine-powered and electric cars. World Champions compete for the title of the best RC driver in the world.

Article by Ikumi Shinomiya