A new Disney patent published in March 2026 describes a free-range vehicle platform that could be the technology behind the main rally race attraction coming to Piston Peak National Park at Magic Kingdom's Cars Land.
Patent application US 2026/0072453 A1 was published on March 12, 2026. It was filed on September 11, 2024, by the same two inventors behind the articulating arm patent filed a few weeks earlier - Derek Lee Howard and Edward Allen Nemeth.
A free-range vehicle system with multiple paths
The patent describes a ride system where vehicles can move freely across uneven terrain along multiple path options. Guests choose their route. A fleet controller manages all the vehicles on the track, overriding guest input when needed to maintain spacing, prevent collisions, and direct vehicles toward specific attraction elements.
The track itself is designed to handle rough terrain. The patent specifically mentions hills, valleys, bumps, rocks, stumps, puddles, potholes, and shrubbery - exactly the kind of terrain you would expect on an off-road rally race through a national park.
Vehicles navigate the terrain using a guide wire embedded in or below the track surface. Line detectors on each vehicle follow the guide wire, allowing the vehicle to steer along the designated path. Guests control their speed and direction within limits set by the system.
Guest control with system override
The patent describes an onboard controller that receives guest input - a steering wheel, joystick, or similar interface - and compares that input against a threshold. If the guest steers too far from the intended path or approaches a boundary, the system overrides the input and corrects the vehicle's position.
A wayside controller - described as a centralized system managing the entire track - can also override guest control to navigate vehicles around obstacles, adjust pacing, or direct vehicles toward specific attraction elements. The system can slow vehicles down on downhill sections, speed them up on climbs, or limit speed based on terrain conditions.
This creates a ride experience where guests feel in control but the system maintains safety and timing throughout the attraction.
Multiple paths through the attraction
The patent describes alternative paths along different sections of the track. Guests can choose between routes that offer different levels of difficulty or different scenic elements.
For example, a first path might be an easier route through open terrain, while a second path could be more challenging with obstacles, berms, or tighter turns. The system can direct vehicles along different paths based on guest input, ride capacity needs, or to create varied experiences on repeat rides.
The patent also describes the ability to position vehicles at different lateral positions on the track - moving left or right to avoid obstacles or engage with specific show elements along the route.
The Piston Peak rally race
Disney described the main Piston Peak attraction as a rally race through the mountains where guests race across wild terrain, climb mountain trails, dodge geysers, and splash through mudholes. This patent describes a ride system built to deliver exactly that experience.
The free-range platform allows vehicles to traverse uneven ground and navigate terrain changes without elevators or traditional track transitions. The multiple path system creates replayability and gives guests a sense of control over their route. The fleet controller manages pacing and prevents bunching, similar to how Test Track at EPCOT manages vehicle spacing.
The patent drawings show a winding track with multiple branches and route options - consistent with a rally race where different vehicles might take different lines through the course.
How this differs from Radiator Springs Racers
Radiator Springs Racers at Disney California Adventure uses a slot car racing system. Vehicles are locked into a track and follow a fixed path at high speed. The experience is about speed and side-by-side racing.
The Piston Peak rally race appears to be designed around terrain navigation and route choice rather than pure speed. Vehicles adapt to the landscape, climb and descend through elevation changes, and guests make decisions about which path to take through the course.
The patent describes vehicles following terrain contours, absorbing bumps, and handling grade changes - not the smooth, fast racing surface at Radiator Springs Racers.
The same inventors, two different systems
Both the articulating arm patent (filed July 2024) and this free-range vehicle patent (filed September 2024) list Derek Lee Howard and Edward Allen Nemeth as inventors.
The articulating arm system appears suited for a family attraction with controlled movement and gentle repositioning of vehicles. This free-range platform is built for a higher-capacity, higher-energy experience with guest control and terrain navigation.
If both patents are connected to Piston Peak, they would represent the two attractions Disney announced - the rally race and the family ride.
Watch this clip to hear from Imagineers talking about the new Cars attraction last year.
What we still don't know
These are patent applications, not confirmation of what will be built. Disney files hundreds of patents, and not all of them result in attractions.
That said, the timing, the inventor overlap, and the descriptions in both patents align closely with what Disney announced for Piston Peak National Park. Construction on the expansion began in early 2025, and these patents describe ride systems that fit the announced attractions.
No opening date has yet been announced for Piston Peak National Park at Magic Kingdom.
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