Formula one cars driver#

All of this happens within fractions of a second. That data is then encrypted and sent to the teams via radio frequency from an antenna mounted on the car. Sensors and other components onboard the car broadcast data between one another via networking built into the car, which gets logged to an onboard server. How does sensor data get from the car to the team? Damper potentiometers, measuring spring compression and chassis roll response.Īnd don’t forget the F1 car’s version of a “black box”-the accident data recorder (ADR), which is also collecting sensor data and serves an immediate alert when an accident occurs.Lasers, which measure the car’s distance from the ground.Ultrasonic fluid flow sensors, which monitor fuel performance.Pitot tubes, which are small tubes containing sensors that measure airspeed-the same type of sensor used on commercial airplanes.Tire sensors, measuring wear, grip, temperature, and pressure to let engineers know how tires are holding up or affecting the car’s balance.Dual-axis sensors, measuring braking and steering.Pressure sensors, measuring hydraulic systems.Accelerometers, which measure g-forces created during turns or braking.Thermal cameras can also provide no-touch heat detection. Temperature sensors, including engine and airbox temperature sensors, and non-contact temperature sensors that measure friction between parts with infrared energy.Some examples of specific sensors include: They can be magnetic, optical, and even laser-powered.

Formula one cars driver#

Control sensors, which turn driver inputs into car outputs (e.g., acceleration or ignition).

Monitoring sensors, which send channels of data about the health of the car’s systems.

Instrumentation sensors, such as pressure and fuel flow sensors.

Sensors come in three distinct categories: Then, sensors are affixed in various places throughout the car.

There’s also a power control module (PCM), a data logger master control unit (MCU), and the steering wheel, which also acts as a remote data interface for drivers.

The SECU was mandated in 2008 and acts as the core data storage unit on the car, responsible for processing and transmitting data from the car to the team. The engine control unit (ECU) is the center of a car’s system, and the standard ECU (SECU) is a small, powerful computer within the ECU. Without going too deep into how cars are built, there are various systems-the engine, exhaust system, gearbox, differential, and aerodynamics-that communicate with one another. What sensors are on an F1 car and what data do they collect? So where are all of these sensors, what data do they collect, and how is that data used by engineers and drivers? Here’s a closer look at the lean, mean data factories within modern F1 cars. These sensors deliver billions of data points for analysis that help teams outperform the competition-like when data from the Mercedes-AMG Petronas’ F1 car helps the team secure dramatic wins. Modern Formula 1 (F1) race cars are networked, connected, intelligent machines that can include hundreds of sensors and nearly a mile of wiring.