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Formula one In Real Life
You might think that roaring racecars and extreme speeds are forever locked behind a TV screen, but in reality, you encounter Formula one every time you sit in your own car.
As the most expensive sport in the world, Formula one hires the best designers and engineers and uses only the laws of physics and the rigorous rules of the FIA to limit its creativity. Tons of innovations are tested on F1 racetracks and the most successful are eventually implemented into mass-produced cars. Here are some of the technologies that have appeared in your car thanks to Formula 1.
Semi-automatic gearbox. Very first introduced in Ferrari six hundred forty in 1989, this innovative technology quickly became mainstream in the racecar because of the fat ergonomic improvements it provided the pilot; it eventually made it unnecessary for drivers to eliminate their arms from the steering wheel while shifting gears. In the mid-90s, this technology was introduced to the road version of Ferrari cars, but now you can find familiar spanking paddle shifts behind the steering wheels even in budget-friendly cars.
Kinetic energy recovery. Given that it was fairly expensive and complicated, KERS hit a few bumps, but eventually became a compulsory part of Formula one regulations. This system permitted pilots to charge their batteries, accumulating energy during braking that was then used (up to sixty kW) during acceleration. The exact same principle is used in modern electrified and hybrid vehicles, making your trips more eco-friendly and cheaper.
Carboceramic brakes. These types of disc brakes are similar to normal ones, which are made of steel. Modern materials permit for a decrease in the weight of the brakes and an increase in their warmth tolerance. It’s still pricey, so you truly only see this technology in luxury cars. Of course, since these brakes are safer, the maturation of technology will soon introduce them into mainstream cars as well.
Traction control. Very first introduced by Ferrari in 1990, this system was prohibited from F1 because of its big influence on driving style; it used to strongly correct the pilot’s mistakes. Of course, these controls are well welcomed in road cars, and now you can see this family of technologies (Six pack, ASP, ESP, etc.) even in budget-friendly cars. Actually, it’s been obligatory in the EU since 2004.
Aerodynamics devices. Aerodynamics play a key role in achieving and improving car spectacle, which is true both for racecars and road cars. While the aerodynamics of modern racecars is fairly extreme, lessons learned in F1 are applicable to other cars. The main concentrate for Ferrari’s aerodynamic engineers has been enlargening down-force and keeping haul under control. As the upper part of the car bod is shaped in such a way that it generates lift (unless aerodynamic devices like dams, spoilers or wings are added), the only way to create down-force is by modifying the car’s underbody. This technology is used in some road cars like LaFerrari (aka F70) or F355.
Composite monocoque chassis. The key element of a pilot’s safety in Formula one is a monocoque safety cell, which also forms the principal component of the cars chassis. Monocoque chassis supports fountains through its outward skin, similar to a pingpong ball. However, it is made from special carbon-aluminum composite, which is both utterly sturdy and lightweight. Now it is used only in high-end cars like Ferrari F70, but some day it will become mainstream and will be used in cars like Brainy or Aveo.
Controls on a steering wheel. Most adults still reminisce the time when their car’s steering wheel featured only one (thick) button – a honk. This luxury is unaffordable in F1, because a steering wheel is the only location for placing controls in an ultra-tight driver’s cocoon. Today’s F1 wheel features many buttons and knobs. Inspired by this example, road car manufacturers also embarked adding extra buttons to steering wheels. It commenced with buttons to control the car stereo, but eventually led to the development of extra buttons, typically used for controlling the onboard computer. There are other controls too directly inspired by F1, like the Manettino control on Ferrari cars that permits drivers to manage the engine and suspension modes.
Telemetry. Behind the scenes of the F1 race there are dozens of computers that gather diagnostic information from the two hundred fifty sensors in an F1 racecar, mostly in real-time (a topic we will cover in a separate post). Mass-market implementations of similar functions already exist. Instead of driving to the service center and physically connecting your car to the special computer, you might ask for technical support and receive required diagnostics remotely. This function exists in some cars already. Is it convenient? Of course! Does it raise fresh questions? No doubt it does. Very first of all, it brings up questions regarding the protection of transferred data and the isolation of a car’s computer from potential hackers. For this reason, sturdy protection is required for both onboard computers and the server infrastructure of car manufacturers, which exist for such remote diagnostic purposes. For example, all Ferrari computers are protected with Kaspersky Lab solutions. Dedicated protection for cars still doesn’t exist, but it’s time to commence considering it, as some news about possible car hacks has already emerged.
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