But its importance stretches beyond the pursuit of victory. The real-time link between the cars on track and the banks of computer screens scrutinised by the teams and race officials has a part to play in ensuring that the racing is both safe and fair. Nowhere is that more the case than in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
Each and every car in the field, both the LMDhs competing in the GTP class and, from this season, the GT3 machinery that makes up the two GT Daytona categories, carries an important piece of equipment supplied by Bosch Motorsport. Its LTE 65 4G-based real-time telemetry system is the conduit through which the sensor-laden modern racing car sends information back to the pits and up to race control.
It is “a pipeline of data”, says Bosch connectivity engineer Robert Webster. “When there is data being written on the logger, there is also data being sent through this device,” he continues. “Through our Cloud system we are able to bring that data to multiple locations, such as here to our trailer in the paddock for IMSA and Bosch to monitor their systems, as well as to the teams for their telemetry feed.”
The Bosch system employs the public cellular network, which has done away with the need to set up radio masts at the tracks. But this more effective method — “the cell network is better than something we would spend three days building,” says Jordan Krell, Bosch connectivity engineer — does come with its challenges, especially as sportscar racing continues to boom in North America and around the world.
“We do have an elevated level of service, but at the end of the day the LTE network wireless frequency in the air is a coveted resource,” says Webster. “One thing that can affect it is certainly the fan load. It is the best thing for the sport to have more spectators, but it does present a challenge.
“Every time we make an advance, they sell 10,000 tickets, which makes our life a little more difficult,” adds Krell.
Source: Autosport