Williams Martini uses Internet of Things sensors and data to gain a competitive edge.
Graeme Hackland, Chief Information Officer (CIO) of Williams Martini Racing, has been working with his team using IoT technology to aid the Williams’ racing, with the Formula 1 car now delivering data from its 200 sensors.
According to the Huffington Post, these sensors deliver data on brakes, tyres, fluid levels, fuel levels, heat, temperature, the engine, and more; capturing around 1,000 channels of data. Two 90-minute practice sessions are used to generate data and provide analytics which can then be send to vehicle science groups.
Around 20GB of data was generated at Silverstone recently, which increased to a maximum of 150GB on race weekends. The team conducts video analysis on cars or pit stops, about half of the data collected is video, which is analysed by over 40 people at the track to improve performance and ensure the cars finish the race.
The Williams team is developing its 2020 IT strategy, combining car and driver data. Wearable IoT technology will be used to look at the driver’s heart rate, and other human sourced data; and be used on those designing, producing, and engineering the car to ensure they are healthy and fit.
Hackland said: “There is a lot more I think we can do with wearables – GPS positioning of the people during the pit stop, and also of the drivers. Sometimes the driver will not perform at their optimum and they won’t really understand it, and I think if we had more instrumentation on the driver, we might know if they have been feeling a bit under the weather or other unforeseen conditions. So they’re a big part of the package and they are part of that performance package – the engine, the tires, the chassis, but the driver is a big part of that performance. So I think in the future you’ll see more of that instrumenting of the driver happen”.
The Williams team has partnered with BT and Avanade, who provide analytical skills. Hackland said: “We see a competitive advantage in some of the applications that we’re developing. We partnered with Avanade to bring us the development capability we need for our digital journey.”