RACE MANAGER
VISIÓN GENERAL
Race Manager Software
MoTeC is developing new Race Manager software which enables Race Control to send messages to any car’s dash via the telemetry system, communicating warnings and alerts for the driver.
How it works
A driver will receive an alarm on their in-car display based on channels sent by the Race Manager software. This alarm will be sent simultaneously to the team in pit lane for their own warning.
For this system to work, all teams’ telemetry needs to be received back in pit lane, at a central location, not individually by each team.
RACE CONTROL
The software will run on a laptop operating in the Race Control office, which is connected to a network. The entire field’s telemetry will be received at the nominated central location then distributed over the network to the Race Control computer.
The application can be used to:
- Send messages to the car for warnings like Red Flag, Blue Flag, Safety Car;
- Track the car’s status to confirm the car has received the message; and
- Send black flags, bad sportsmanship warnings to individual cars.
The application has a track map window, allowing the Race Director to see sections of the map turn yellow when the yellow flags are being displayed in that area. The cars will receive an automated message as they approach the yellow section, warning drivers before they arrive on the scene; the distance from the yellow section that this warning is sent is preconfigured by the Race Director.
The track map is GPS based, and each car is fitted with a GPS sensor which transmits coordinates of their location, showing exactly where they are on the lap. If a car exits the track, the map will show where the car has finished up off the circuit.
The Race Director will also see when an Accident Data Recorder (ADR) has been triggered and will have an indication of the severity of the incident for medical staff.
The application will generate:
- Individual log files for each car – to keep a record of all the sent and received messages through out a race
- A global log file – all cars and notes entered by the Race Director, who can note points of interest during a race)
FLAG MARSHAL
As most flag marshals issue the yellow flag based on their own flag points, with no intervention from Race Control, flag marshals will have a tablet (currently a Windows based 3G model) that can send a flag status to the Race Manager software, which will then send out the yellow flag status to the field of cars. A mobile phone network is used for this purpose, or wireless network if sufficient coverage is possible.
The Race Manager software will be automated when receiving this flag status from the marshals, but the Race Director will have the capability to override the flag marshal’s signal.
Further information will be available soon.