The CO2 curriculum has been used traditionally as the first exposure to Technology for the Jr. High or Senior High student. The student then studies design principles, carves out a car body, assembles the car and then races it in the gym. Students will work harder for something they want to own. Only a fraction of students at the 7-8th grade level have the carving skills necessary to produce a product from raw stock that they would be proud of. Some students lose interest when they see they can't compete with other students who have more shop experience or who have access to tools at home.
Frustration comes when expectations exceed abilities.
Thus, these students can easily become disillusioned with the prospect of pursuing a technological career. The very mechanism we use to excite and motivate students into a technology career may backfire. Students will compete when they believe they have a chance of winning. With the CNC machines doing the carving, the cars come out perfectly bilateral. Students want these cars and know that winning depends on their cognitive abilities than their hands.