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TECHNOLOGY – DATABYTES


The data station and garage


network will generally have three ways of communicating with the on-board systems on the racecar. There will be the standard


download to a laptop using a direct cable connection between a laptop and the car. In some cases, the download lead will have the ability to connect to a number of different systems on the car as it may be necessary to communicate with more than just the data logger. The next connection is the


‘umbilical cord’, which is connected to the car while it is sat in the garage. This allows the car to become an integral part of the garage network and, in turn, allows the engineers to make changes to the onboard control systems and data loggers from the data stations without actually going near the car (in many cases, the area where the data stations are located is some distance away from the car, perhaps even in a


CHALLENGE


This car was struggling with a lack of straight-line speed and was notably down on other competitors in the speed traps. What could have caused the issue?


separate office). The umbilical cord allows the engineers to work on the car’s systems without being in the way of any mechanical work being done. The third connection is


probably one of the most important ones – the data telemetry connection. Where permitted, teams can run a radio


circuit and other drivers. The data station really comes


into its own when the car is out on track during an endurance event, as it allows the engineers to have current data streaming live to the data station on one screen, while on another screen there can be older data from the same track, or from an earlier part of the race,


“The data station really comes


into its own when the car is out on track in an endurance event”


link to the car systems to allow them to view live various parameters on the car. These can include engine and drivetrain parameters, as well as tyre temperature and pressure information. Having this link allows the data engineers to remotely monitor the health of the car, leaving the driver free to focus on navigating around the


which enables the team to easily monitor any trends or discrepancies. On a third screen, it is then possible to have a spreadsheet open to note any values of interest – maximums and minimums for example. It is, of course, possible to set the analysis software up to do this automatically if preferred. Currently, data stations are


mostly used to monitor data at relatively low rates as standard radio telemetry systems do not have enough bandwidth to supply a great deal of information at high rates. But, with recent advances in communications technology, it is likely that in the near future the data station will serve as a much more involved tool in the analysis of racecar data, as bandwidth increases allow, for example, analysis of suspension movement at high frequency rates live, and even receiving video signal from several sources onboard the racecar at the same time.


Produced in association with Cosworth Tel: +44 (0)1954 253600 Email: ceenquiries@cosworth.com Website: www.cosworth.com/motorsport


48 www.racecar-engineering.com • July 2012


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