These Tiny Retrieval Cars Are the Unsung Heroes of the Olympics

The Paris Olympics have had a lot of surprises, from the cardboard beds to the bikes that keep getting stolen to the really crappy food. However, very little of that is visible if you’re just a casual fan. Instead, you’ve probably just been transfixed by the games — or these little guys who keep getting spotted at track and field events.

These tiny cars are called field support robots, and they allow things like the discus and the javelin to be retrieved without having a guy run all the way from one end of the field and back over and over. Every year, the cars are themed around the host nation to a certain extent, with the London Olympics famously using fun-sized Mini Coopers to retrieve items. Check out these speedy little dudes in action through these videos.