Curated News
By: NewsRamp Editorial Staff
October 22, 2025
Fast Fred: Museum's Robotic Scrubber Steals Show from Classic Cars
TLDR
- The DFW Car & Toy Museum gains a unique competitive edge by transforming a Tennant X4 ROVR floor scrubber into an engaging exhibit that attracts visitor attention.
- The autonomous Tennant X4 ROVR scrubber operates on three-hour cleaning cycles, navigating museum galleries with precision while pausing for guests using advanced robotics.
- Fast Fred honors a family legacy while creating joyful visitor experiences, blending technology with human connection to make museum visits more memorable and engaging.
- A robotic floor scrubber named Fast Fred, decorated with racing decals and a smiley face, has become an unexpected crowd favorite at the DFW Car & Toy Museum.
Impact - Why it Matters
This story demonstrates how institutions are creatively integrating technology into traditional experiences, making automation more approachable and even entertaining for the public. As autonomous technology becomes increasingly prevalent in our daily lives, seeing it implemented in unexpected, human-centered ways helps bridge the gap between technological advancement and public acceptance. The museum's approach shows how even functional equipment like cleaning robots can become part of cultural experiences, potentially influencing how other public spaces might incorporate technology while maintaining their unique character and appeal.
Summary
The DFW Car & Toy Museum in Fort Worth, Texas, has introduced an unexpected star attraction to its collection of classic cars and rare collectibles: Fast Fred, a fully autonomous robotic floor scrubber that has become one of the museum's most popular exhibits. This high-tech Tennant X4 ROVR, named in honor of museum founder Ron Sturgeon's late twin brother who was a lifelong drag racer, features custom decals, an NHRA sticker, and a smiley face that perfectly complement the museum's automotive theme. During his three-hour cleaning runs, Fast Fred navigates the galleries with precision, pausing for visitors before continuing with what founder Ron Sturgeon describes as "racer-like urgency," often drawing cheers and photo opportunities from guests as he moves among the classic muscle cars and racing legends.
The museum's founder, Ron Sturgeon, brings over 30 years of automotive passion to this unique institution, having built one of the largest auto salvage operations in the country before establishing what was originally known as the DFW Elite Toy Museum. The current 150,000-square-foot facility at 2550 McMillan Parkway in North Fort Worth offers free admission and parking while maintaining its original website presence at DFW Elite Toy Museum for toy and car enthusiasts worldwide. The museum represents Sturgeon's lifelong dedication to automotive history, blending his teenage Volkswagen repair skills with his successful career in the industry to create a space that celebrates both automotive nostalgia and modern innovation through exhibits like Fast Fred.
Behind the technology powering this unique museum attraction lies Tennant Company, a recognized leader in the cleaning industry that provides the robotic scrubber platform, while the autonomous navigation capabilities are powered by software from Brain Corp. This combination of established cleaning technology with automotive-themed customization demonstrates how the DFW Car & Toy Museum continues to merge traditional automotive appreciation with contemporary technological advancements, creating what Sturgeon describes as an experience that "surprises and delights guests of all ages" while maintaining the museum's core focus on speed, nostalgia, and automotive passion.
Source Statement
This curated news summary relied on content disributed by 24-7 Press Release. Read the original source here, Fast Fred: Museum's Robotic Scrubber Steals Show from Classic Cars
