REPLICATING THE RACING EXPERIENCE

Professional driving simulators can be successfully exploited to shorten the traditional design-prototype testing-production process relative to a new racecar.

Vehicle dynamic simulation is a mature engineering process thanks to professional driving simulators. Vehicle dynamics studies have been repeatedly tackling the conflict between detailed simulation models and the need for real driver feedback. The solution to this conflict has been devised through the use of professional driving simulators, capable of representing the surrounding virtual environment with high accuracy. Simulators eliminate the need for driver models by including the real driver in the simulation loop: the driver himself runs the simulations, receives realistic feedback, and generates track data for engineers of all departments.

This approach has been applied to the concept and early development of the Dallara 2014 Super Formula (SF) racecar, which debuted in the Japanese SF series in 2014. An identical simulator was also installed in April 2014 at Dallara IndyCar Factory near Indianapolis Motor Speedway.