GoKawiilAirbus uses Valve's Steam Deck to control prototype ExoMars rover
Airbus is using a Steam Deck handheld PC to operate its prototype ExoMars rover during development and testing at its Stevenage, UK facility. The setup was shown in a video by YouTuber Tom Scott, with the Deck's thumbsticks, triggers and face buttons used to drive the rover, which is intended to operate autonomously once on Mars.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The choice highlights how the Steam Deck's Linux-based, customizable hardware makes it useful beyond gaming, for running specialist control software that standard console controllers can't support. It suggests engineering teams may increasingly repurpose consumer handheld PCs for prototyping robotics, and raises the possibility that Valve's newer Steam Frame device could see similar use in future rover testing.
- Airbus is testing its ExoMars rover prototype using a Steam Deck as the controller.
- The Deck runs custom software, using its thumbsticks, triggers and buttons to drive the rover.
- The rover is meant to eventually operate autonomously on Mars, but is manually controlled during Earth-based testing.
Valve Steam Deck — The very device Airbus engineers use to pilot a Mars rover prototype is available for your own adventures, whether gaming or DIY robotics tinkering. Its combination of dual thumbsticks, triggers, and buttons makes it a surprisingly versatile controller for more than just games. If it's good enough to help steer a rover on Earth, it's definitely good enough for your next project or gaming session.
See Valve Steam Deck on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: tomshardware.com — Oliver Haslam, 2026-09-23
Published there as: “Airbus turned the Steam Deck into a controller for a prototype Mars rover”
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