AutoBonk – A co-op in-car roguelike where the car is the feedback system
Herausforderung:
In-car gaming is gaining increasing attention, reflecting the evolving needs of vehicle users. Consequently, research and industry are exploring concepts that enhance car journeys through innovative gaming experiences. However, the unique technological capabilities of modern vehicles and the specific context of mobility remain largely underutilized in the design of in-car gaming experiences. The aim of this project is therefore to develop an innovative game concept that transforms longer car journeys into engaging shared experiences for families by purposefully integrating the unique sensing and output capabilities of modern vehicles into the gameplay.
Develop a game or game concept that transforms long car journeys into engaging and entertaining experiences for families by purposefully integrating the unique sensing and output capabilities of modern vehicles into the gameplay. Use at least one of the following sensing technologies: LiDAR/Radar – detection of objects in the vehicle’s surroundings; interior camera – detection of gestures and body poses; V2X communication – interaction with other vehicles. In addition, use at least two of the following output technologies: LED matrix headlights – external display; active suspension – motion feedback through the vehicle; climate control – temperature and airflow effects; seat massage function – motion and haptic feedback through the seat; V2X communication – interaction with other vehicles.
AutoBonk – A co-op in-car roguelike where the car is the feedback system
Team: Lukas Winter, Moritz Klement, Okan Yildirim, Christian Nappo
Zusammenfassung:
AutoBonk is a three-player cooperative top-down roguelike, built in Godot 4 for the CARIAD design brief: entertain families on long car journeys in ten-to-fifteen-minute sessions, using the vehicle's own sensors and actuators. Rather than treating the car as a screen that merely hosts a game, we made the car the game's feedback system.
Each player permanently commits to one of three exclusive roles (Tank, Speedster, Engineer) and one of three elements (Fire, Ice, Earth). Because roles are exclusive, cooperation is structural rather than optional — a player at zero HP goes down rather than dying, and a teammate can revive them.
Play runs through three biomes abstracted from a real OpenStreetMap route through Bamberg (ERBA island, Altstadt, Burg Altenburg), driven by two reinforcement loops (a shared XP pool and level-up cards), plus real vehicle integration: game events trigger real car outputs (e.g. AC COLD on Ice hits, SEAT MASSAGE on healing, SUSPENSION IMPACT on heavy damage), and a "Driver Mode" lets the vehicle's state affect gameplay in return.
The project was playtested at the Gamification EXPO in June 2026.
Further details, source code and documentation:
github.com/moklem/Autobonk
