Two way data - benefits?

[Glen]

Just musing over the concept of legally transmitting data to the cars next year - and there are at least a few positive benefits which all F1 fans might enjoy...

For one; we may well see a reduction in the number of occassions that a car just shuts itself down or refuses to run because of a snag with the engine management - in some of these scenarios it will presumably be possible for the team to send re-set or modified data to the car to get it running again. This capability may well have transformed the Monaco race for example, allowing DC to get off the line!

Also; (and I'm on even thinner technical ice here than in the first example!) it strikes me that at least some of the on-board computing power might be removed from the car completely - provided teams feel that the data connection is quick and reliable enough. Having all of the reserve data (alternative engine maps & fuel mixtures, different TC settings, etc) safe and sound on the big PCs in the pit could have some benefits in the way of increased reliability, since the car's a far more hostile environment for a computer.

Not sure how they'll ever feel completely confident about hacking though - in a game as cutthroat as F1, turning someone else's engine down or off must at least be considered.

[Aysedasi]

I'm sorry, I just can't hack this concept on any basis. It's just one step closer to slot car racing as far as I'm concerned. We've heard the comment so many times that soon they won't need drivers in the cars - not really so very far away, is it? Telemetry for data acquisition thereby enabling improved performance is OK by me, but when the performance of the car/driver combination can be (legally) influenced from the pits by electronic means, that is surely 100% bad for the sport?

[Glen]

We've heard the comment (that they won't need drivers) so many times from people who either don't understand or fear technology, or from people who exagerate for comic effect. Do you really believe, for example that they can establish a data connection secure and fast enough to operate the throttle several times a second?! It wouldn't be safe for a start.

Most of the control that they might implement is already computer aided on-board the car - this system just might be a more robust and flexible version of what we have already. If one looks with an open mind (rather than rejecting out of hand, without listening) one quickly sees that ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION are the ONLY areas that are allowed to be electronically aided at all next year - no "electric power" of any kind is permitted on brakes, steering or suspension - so how exactly do the doubters imagine that the teams might be able to operate the cars from the pits?

Before we denounce something we might at least take the trouble to give it a moment's thought.

[Kenny W.]

Honda were live tuning the engine via satelite before the ban was enforced so it is nothing new. It'll just be interesting to see what else can be tuned (or hacked).

[Glen]

They might be able to continually modify the TC parameters, to cater for changing track conditions. Also many combined criteria for the situations where the car is stuck and cannot easily pass - apparently Mclaren Mercedes are particualry good at runng lean and economically at times when flat-out is inapproriate or not possible.

I assume that the cars already "know" where they are on the track and take this into account as far as auto gear changing points are concerned, but this (and the other points above) might be more reliably taken care of off-board rather than on.

I also think we can look forward to many more squabbles and complaints from drivers to teams about having their engine "turned down" to enforce team orders.

[eatapc]

Originally posted by Aysedasi
I'm sorry, I just can't hack this concept on any basis. It's just one step closer to slot car racing as far as I'm concerned. We've heard the comment so many times that soon they won't need drivers in the cars - not really so very far away, is it?

One step closer, maybe, but we're still many steps away.

However, I'm not sure the concept of "virtual racing" is so bad. What if all the drivers sat in driving simulators in the pits, with driverless cars on the track. Driving skill would still be required, the cars would still be fun to watch, and crashes at 200 mph wouldn't hurt anybody. It would open up the pool of potential drivers by the millions, perhaps resulting in more popularity for F1, in spite of the danger factor being eliminated. If the drivers aren't actually putting their lives on the line -- and the talent pool is larger -- the teams wouldn't need to pay them outrageous salaries, and they could live in their own countries instead of moving to Monaco. It won't happen anytime soon, but ....

[Gt_R]

Try living one season of F1 in GP3-2000 without choosing a driver...i think it gives a pretty good idea how a virtual GP would be like.

[BootsOntheSide]

Becomes a lot more fun when you add your own Murray Walker style commentary though!

[Redneck]

Several years ago I was working with a company that had developed special pressure sensors that would allow the measurement of combustion chambers. We talked about using these to measure the raw horsepower generated in each cylinder and how it could replace the dyno. It was even discussed how an engine could be adjusted mid-race via 2-way telemetry. Has anyone ever heard of these kind of sensors actually being used in F1?