Lightning McQueen hits the small screen

Grown-ups already have a tough time keeping the kids away from their gadgets, but the job is about to become even tougher as Spin Master and Disney have collaborated on a new line of toys designed to work with Apple’s iPad.

The new AppMATes are ‘Mobile Application Toys’, which come to life when used in conjunction with the free Cars 2 AppMATes app, available on the iTunes store. Once the app is loaded, the iPad becomes a high-tech virtual play mat for Lightning McQueen, Mater and others from the Cars movie franchise to play on.

Each AppMates car has built-in sensors that the iPad can recognise and respond to, enabling character-specific content on the screen. Kids can explore Radiator Springs with their vehicle of choice, tackle a range of missions or race on five different racetracks.

As well as Lightning and Mater you can also pick up Finn McMissile and Holley Shiftwell (two-car packs are priced around £20), while Francesco Bernoulli and Shu Todoroki will be available exclusively through the Apple Store and Apple Store online.

If you’re keen to see a demo, look here.