Renesas Micon Car Rally

Renesas Electronics has supported the activity for 20 years since its foundation of Micon Car Rally. The Japan Micon Car Rally (JMCR) has been mainly active for technical high school students and the Renesas Micon Car Rally (RMCR) has the backing of all ages from a wide range of people. In addition, this activity has spread globally. We are very grateful to hear the voice of a number of young leaders of the next generation through participation in Micon Car Rally competitions to learn craftsmanship, enrich emotional development, and experience significant personal growth. As a social enterprise, Renesas Electronics takes seriously the importance and necessity to strive to foster the development of future engineers and will continue to support activities to increase creativity and broaden possibilities for young people through the Micon Car Rally in the future.

Introduction to Micon Car Rally

The History of Micon Car Rally

The Beginning of the Micon Car Rally

The Micon Car Rally is classified as line-trace-type robot competitions in which fully self-propelled Micon Cars controlled by microcontrollers compete in driving speed. In 1994, a salesperson from Hitachi, Ltd. at the time began activities to encourage the use of H8 microcontrollers in classes at a Sapporo high school. These activities matched the direction of technical high school teachers in Sapporo who wished to incorporate control technology using microcontrollers into the curriculum, and the activities were realized in 1995. At the time, H8 microcontrollers were simply mounted onto radio-controlled cars that were currently on the market. A movement began to not only use these cars in class but also to have an opportunity to present the results publically. This naturally resulted in the name, Micon Car. The first Micon Car Rally Convention was held at Sapporo International Information High School in Hokkaido on January 13, 1996. Participants at the first convention and the second convention in the following year were only from the Hokkaido district. During this period, Micon Car Rally workshops were being held across the country. The convention reached a national scale from the third convention. The convention name was also changed to Japan Micon Car Rally National Convention. Nowadays, Japan has been divided into 12 districts nationwide, each with its own district office that holds regional conventions. Players who win the regional convention will compete in the championship game. This convention has evolved into the largest robot competition for high school students in Japan, with about 300 schools and about 2,500 students participating every year. Moreover, Micon Car Rally Conventions have been held overseas.

Chronology of Micon Car Rally

Year	Events
Year	Japan Micon Car Rally	Renesas Micon Car Rally
1995	Technical high school teachers established "Micon Car Rally Executive Committee."
1996	The first Micon Car Rally '96 Hokkaido Convention. (The first Convention.) (Sponsor: Hitachi, Ltd.)
1997	Micon Car Rally '97 Hokkaido Convention. (The second Convention.) (Sponsor: Hitachi, Ltd.) Recorded approximately twice the number of participants of the first competition.
1998	Became a national convention. Changed the convention name to "Japan Micon Car Rally."
2001	The development of Mini Micon Car Kit for elementary and junior high school students.
2002	Launched the Mini Micon Car Kit for car production workshop. (Held at about 20 venues)
2003	Establishment of the Incentive Award of the Minister of Education, Culture, Sport, Science and Technology.
2004	Japan Micon Car Rally 2004 Convention. (The ninth convention.) Sponsor was carried over from Hitachi to Renesas Technology.
2005	10th Anniversary Convention was held at NTT Hokkaido Seminar Center. Established the Minister of Education, Culture, Sport, Science and Technology Award.	Exhibited Micon Car at RENESAS China Forum. Held Micon Car demonstration at two Universities in Vietnam.
2006		Held Micon Car Rally Convention at the University of Natural Science in Ho Chi Minh. Exhibited a Micon Car at AES2006 (The Second China International Automotive Products and Technology Exhibition and IT Summit)
2007	Japan Micon Car Rally 2007 Convention. (The 12th convention.) Introduced a new course called "lane change"	Held China Micon Car Rally 2007. (Organizer: The Chinese Government Ministry of Education. Sponsor: Renesas Technology.)
2008	Published "Learn While Making Practice Micon Car Rally" written by Haruo Shimazu
2009	Awarded a letter of appreciation as longstanding support of the Renesas group has contributed greatly to the dissemination and promotion of technical education in the 90th anniversary of the Principal Association of the National Association of Technical High School.	Renesas Micon Car Rally Convention (The first Convention) (Organizer: Renesas Technology. Venue: Akihabara UDX Building.)
2010		Renesas Micon Car Rally Convention (The second convention) (Organizer: Renesas Technology. Venue: Akihabara UDX Building.)
2011	Japan Micon Car Rally 2011 Convention. (The 16th convention.) Sponsor was carried over from Renesas Technology to Renesas Electronics.	Renesas Micon Car Rally Convention was canceled due to the impact of the Great East Japan Earthquake.
2012		Renesas Micon Car Rally Convention (The third convention) (Organizer: Renesas Electronics. Venue: Renesas Semiconductor Training center.) Exhibited Micon Car at DevCon2012（Renesas Electronics America）

Global Activity

China Convention (Organized by China Ministry of Education)

“Renesas Micon Car Rally China Convention”
－Aim to contribute to human resource development of the electronics industry in China with the Chinese government－

Renesas co-sponsors the “China Micon Car Rally Convention” held by the China Ministry of Education as one of the competitions of the “National University Students IT & AT Skill Convention” organized by the China Ministry of Education with the aim of IT–related human resource development. Renesas provides the board with microcontroller for participants and supports workshops and technical support as a co-sponsor of this convention. Attendees can acquire not only advanced programming capabilities but also mechatronics knowledge through the assembly of the vehicle by themselves. Renesas will continue to contribute to human resource development of the electronics industry in China with the Chinese government by co-sponsoring the Micon Car Rally Convention in China.

Micon Car Rally Convention in China

Vietnam Convention (Organized by the University of Ho Chi Minh Natural Science)

"HCMUS - RENESAS Micon Car Rally"
－Aim to develop engineers and actively participate to education programs in Vietnam－

Renesas Electronics has co-sponsored the race “HCMUS-Renesas Micon Car Rally”, which has been held at the University of Ho Chi Minh Science in Vietnam (HCMUS) since 2006 as education support. This race is intended to improve the microcontroller programming skills of HCMUS students. Renesas Electronics has, together with Renesas Design Vietnam Co., Ltd. in Vietnam, provided support for operations and boards with our microcontrollers for program design.

Micon Car Rally Convention in Vietnam

Downloads

Documents & Software

Theme Music for Micon Car Rally

You can play them at the events such as Micon Car Rally competitions!

Theme Music for Micon Car Rally (ZIP | English, 日本語)
- Track1: Rush! - Beyond the Evolution - Running cars images, good at the race
- Track2: Road to Glory - Celebration for the winners
- Track3: Shining Star - Moderate melody for entr'acte