Formula 1 cars are equipped with a variety of sensors and electronic systems that teams use to work with a wide variety of data.
How can you achieve success in Formula 1 - through the skills of a pilot or a finely tuned car? This controversy erupted in the 1980s when the use of electronic systems in fireballs began to rise. Engineers worked tirelessly to optimize racing cars, tweaking the configurations of more than 18,000 components (including sensors, control units and mechanical parts).
Formula 1 technical teams work in a variety of scientific fields, from mechanics and electronics to data analysis and aerodynamics. The competition between racing teams is becoming a technological competition to achieve a better understanding of the dynamics of vehicle behavior, down to the microsecond.
Strict FIA (International Automobile Federation) rules severely restrict the use of technology to ensure that the importance of aerobatic skills is not lost in racing. Many technologies and solutions implemented in commercial vehicles (such as ABS and automatic transmissions) are prohibited for use in Formula 1 cars.
Racing cars have undergone significant changes in recent years. Thanks to telemetry, racing engineers can monitor and improve the performance of the vehicle by analyzing data from more than 300 sensors from various devices located at different points in the Formula 1 car. Hundreds of parameters can be measured in real time. All data is collected by a logger and transmitted to commands via radio using an antenna located at the front of the vehicle.
Speaking to the EE Times, Stephen Watt, head of electronics at McLaren Racing, said: “The car on the track is just the tip of the iceberg; now teams are very data dependent. Data transmission is carried out over a 5-Mbps network stretched throughout the paddock. Engineers also use local data downloaded from onboard loggers. All this allows engineers to evaluate both the performance of the car on the track and the factory characteristics, which allows them to analyze the performance of the car, as well as adjust their strategy in accordance with the performance of other teams. A state-of-the-art Formula 1 car is a smart, networked data processing system capable of traveling at speeds in excess of 200 kilometers per hour. Large amounts of data are sent to engineers every second,and these arrays contain data on everything from the condition of the tires to the temperature of the engine. "
ECU and sensors
Each vehicle is equipped with multiple ECUs. At the center of the system is the standard ECU or SECU. In fact, the SECU is a small but very powerful computer that manages large amounts of data, as well as processes and transfers them from Formula 1 cars to teams. SECU optimizes communication with the engine, gearbox and differential as well as with the aerodynamic system. The SECU is also the primary storage and data collection unit that provides real-time telemetry data to teams and racing management. This allows teams to visualize the performance of their vehicles in real time by monitoring engine health, tire wear and fuel consumption.
SECU TAG-320B models are supplied by McLaren Applied (a sister company of McLaren Racing) and, according to the regulations, these units must be used by all Formula 1 teams. The TAG-320B allows you to create a single platform that can be used by teams, powertrain suppliers (to monitor the operation of the device) and the FIA. The TAG-320B is equipped with powertrain components and an eight-speed transmission. The TAG-320B also allows the FIA ​​to limit the functionality of the software for controlling various systems - this ensures that teams cannot implement driver assistance systems such as traction control (or their impact on aerobatics can be monitored if teams are allowed to use them)
About 300 sensors are installed in the cars, and SECU monitors over 4000 parameters. During an average race, the car transmits about 3 GB of telemetry data, as well as about 4 GB of logs, and this data only forms the basis of all calculations. When processing and combining data from other sources (for example, when working with audio data and video materials), you may find that the team has to work with a terabyte of critical data over the average race weekend - and this data must be returned again and again during the competition and coming seasons.
Sensors in single seaters are used to track potential problems. Engineers can instantly make decisions based on the collected data. For example, if an increase in engine temperature is detected, you can find out that the reason for this is approaching the car in front. In this case, engineers can inform the pilot that he needs to get out of the exhaust cloud and avoid it until the temperature drops to acceptable values.
There are 3 categories of sensors: control sensors associated with servo drives (for example, to monitor the state of the gas pedal), sensors to monitor the condition of the vehicle (for example, hydraulic pressure), and instrument sensors (for example, non-contact temperature sensors to track lubricant).
A Formula 1 car has several lives. During qualifying and racing, it becomes a lightweight race car with the minimum equipment needed to complete the race (although even in this configuration, the car will have more than 1.5 km of wiring and more than 200 sensors). At the other extreme are winter tests, where a complete test of the car is carried out, and it turns into a test laboratory on wheels.
For the most part, our work is driven by the demand for high quality data. Periodic changes in technical and sporting regulations, as well as a reduction in the number of tests on the track, have increased the importance of a deep understanding of how the car works while on the track.
"Recent changes to the Formula 1 regulations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic were aimed at reducing costs by freezing certain areas of car development. These changes also change our focus and make us monitor budgets and supply chains like never before - all in order to get the most out of those areas in which we have some freedom, "- said Watt.
Since 2014, the FIA ​​has made it mandatory to use flow meters for various liquids (FFM sensors - Fluid Flow Meters). FFM sensors use ultrasound to measure fluid flow to ensure accurate readings and provide instant analysis of the fuel characteristics of the car. Ultrasonic measurement requires two piezoelectric transducers. These sensors send ultrasonic pulses, receive them back, and time-lapse them to determine the flow rate.
Telemetry
Telemetry was introduced in the late 1980s and has evolved significantly over the years. Nowadays, even in a split second, much more data is collected and processed than in those years - due to this, racing engineers have the opportunity to provide tactical advice to pilots in real time.
Telemetry and data analysis systems are used in various fields. Engine, engine brake, torque control, engine injection and ignition are all parameters that can be controlled with these technologies. Also, using telemetry and data analysis systems, chassis, tires, acceleration system, car speed and aerodynamic control using the car's permeability coefficient are closely related.
Speaking about telemetry in Formula 1, Stephen Watt said the following: “Telemetry as a term is not always used correctly in Formula 1, it is usually used to refer to the wireless transmission of data generated in the SECU and sent to engineers in the boxes. The telemetry systems used in Formula 1 have changed significantly in terms of pragmatism in recent years "
Watt also stated that" before, each team took their own independent radio telemetry system on the track, "he continued," and as a result, the boxes looked like a forest of masts. greater and greater height. Of course, the radio frequency spectrum was overloaded, and when it came to the fact that these installations would need to be transported around the world and fit into the local regulation of the frequency spectrum, it all seemed like a nightmare.
“On top of that, these systems often didn't provide full coverage on some routes (such as Monaco and Singapore), so some teams started installing repeaters on hotel rooftops and stuff like that. Fortunately, the FOM and FIA stepped into the game and implemented a standard communications system providing both voice communication with pilots and telemetry for all teams. The FOM is now deploying a common AP system around the track and transmitting encrypted data from each car to the team's garage via fiber optic, ”he said.
He added: “… telemetry is an essential part of the work of all Formula 1 teams these days. Due to the combination of the complexity of cars and powertrains, and sporting rules that require teams to store engines and transmissions for multiple races, teams will almost certainly not drive an unreported vehicle. This data is collected through a suite of sensors and telemetry that can help engineers take action before an error causes catastrophic damage to powertrain components. corrected, it could lead to wasted track time, or even a penalty for the team. "
Sensors help monitor and optimize both car and driver performance by collecting data on braking, cornering speed, gearbox, wheel spin, gearbox life, and the speed range at which the engine is most efficient. The resulting data is used to analyze engine performance in real time, allowing engineers to act on the situation and solve problems remotely, and thus improve the efficiency of the machine.
One of the biggest obstacles to success is the harsh conditions that arise during racing due to excessive temperatures and vibrations that reduce the accuracy of the sensors and ultimately the ECU itself. Electronic components must perform as efficiently as possible - including they are designed to reduce the drift factor. Drift is a loss of precision that occurs over time, resulting in component damage and irreversible engine failure. With hundreds (or so) of sensors in an average race car, the overall load on data processing systems can be enormous.
Dust, oil and moisture also enter the cars during racing. The need to solve this problem creates a great demand for materials - which means that there are demands for science and scientists who are able to produce highly reliable materials for difficult conditions. A common solution for vibration protection is to work with the installation of hardware components. Reliability degrades over time if electronic components are not protected from vibration or are not designed with critical fatigue resistance in mind.
Data processing system
The measurements recorded by the data acquisition system are actually taken by sensors installed throughout the machine. For example, the speed of a car can be measured using a magnetic Hall sensor mounted on the wheel, an optical Correvit sensor and a pitot tube (most Formula 1 cars use three sensors at the same time).
“Air speed sensors in the form of a pitot tube are also used in Formula 1 cars, and the wind factor must also be taken into account. Even when asked how fast a Formula 1 car is going, it is difficult to get an exact answer - it requires statistical analysis of data from multiple sources and their post-processing, ”said Watt.
The rotation speed of each wheel is measured using conventional methods to account for wheel slip. Other sensors are optical, they track the track and GPS.
Special sensors can measure temperature, angular and linear velocity, angular and linear displacements, pressure, material stress, acceleration, magnetic field changes and other indicators. Accelerometers are used to measure G-forces, also called “cornering”. Also, accelerometers can be used to determine longitudinal forces such as braking - they range from 0 to 4G.
The position of the sensor determines which direction is recognized. A biaxial sensor measures steering and braking forces. Non-contact temperature detection is often used in braking, motor and bus applications. MEMS infrared sensors are used to measure temperature, allowing non-contact temperature measurements. Typically, these sensors use a thermophilic material to absorb and measure infrared energy emitted by the measured object, thus detecting the temperature of the object. A set of thermal imagers aimed at the contact areas of tires allows monitoring their condition and controlling heating.
“Some parameters, such as torque and load cell readings, are recorded at frequencies of the order of 200 Hz, ie. 200 times per second. In case of strong vibration, you can put an additional logger on the machine and change the recording frequency to get information about the vibration in different parts of the machine. As a precaution, the engineers of the Formula 1 teams collect data every time the car returns to the pits, uploading it to a dedicated server. “When it comes to analyzing suspension movement, the logs are recorded at 1 kHz, although this can go up to 100 kHz or higher when performing vibration analysis — this is often required to verify reliability,” said Watt.
Telemetry and proper data collection are important factors in Formula 1 as they allow engineers to collect huge amounts of data while racing. The data can then be interpreted and used to ensure optimal performance of the car. The Formula 1 car can work with two types of telemetry: data transmitted in real time in small packets, and one-time explosions of large data arrays, unloaded when the car enters the boxes.
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