Toy cars were initially tethered to their remote by a cord, so these little autonomous autos were a revolution. Battery-operated "stunt cars," controlled by a joystick, could be steered manically on the sidewalk, allowing kids and adults to play out all their reckless driving fantasies. Wireless technology made later versions even easier to operate, as the driver could stand in one place as the vehicle zipped around. Today, radio-controlled cars can still do all the old tricks, but now they're operating at higher speeds. Modern remote-control fanatics claim that the tiny cars can move at up to 85 m.p.h. when they compete in annual remote-control-vehicle races and tournaments.