No, everyone’s favorite astromech droid, R2-D2, is not living on some planet away from our solar system with a member of the Skywalker family (just how long is the shelf life for droids anyways?), but actually, hiding right here on earth among us humans in a Honda Element. Yup, you cannot get any more low key than that, which was why earth might have been a better place to send Luke and Leia to when they were babies to remain hidden from Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader.
Back to reality – there really is a R2-D2 that takes residence in a Honda Element in Irvine, California. The brainchild of a certain Victor Franco, who is a local member of the R2 Builders Club, this unique DIY project relies on an extremely automotive-friendly 12V system, and as for its head/dome rotation, that is powered by a Saturn windshield-wiper motor, now how about that for creativity? It seems that the windshield-wiper motors that is used by Saturns happen to carry the perfect torque/power setup that works great when it comes to rotating droid heads, where power will be sent to the dome through a skateboard wheel.
This R2-D2 is fully remote-controlled, is mobile, blinks with all the relevant lights and emits those signature noises to boot. Tipping the scales at more than 150 pounds, it can get tricking carrying R2-D2 around, which is why a modified Honda Element is the ideal place for it to “live in”, so to speak, and not on some starship somewhere.