Bumper cars are a type of amusement ride. The equipment includes bumper cars and a flat track. Bumper cars are divided into three types: ceiling-mounted bumper cars (with an electrified electric grid on the ceiling); ground-mounted bumper cars (electrified by a floor at designated points); and battery-powered bumper cars (with built-in batteries that run on a full charge). Professional amusement park bumper cars are made of fiberglass, typically seating a maximum of two people, and include pedals for acceleration and a steering wheel.
The concept of bumper cars as a form of collision-based entertainment can be traced back to the Eastern Zhou Dynasty in ancient China. Records indicate that during the Eastern Zhou period, a game called "jigu" (or "cheguji") was popular. Drivers would chase and collide with each other in horse-drawn carriages, a highly dangerous activity. Legend has it that Yanzi, the prime minister of the State of Qi, successfully dissuaded people from engaging in high-speed racing in Linzi (the capital of Qi) by personally demonstrating "cheguji" and declaring that he had angered the gods.
