A revolutionary new car tracking and track digitisation system could change the way circuits make revenue – and police track limits.
I R Kinetics has developed an infrared system that can track all cars in every race in real time to a greater degree of accuracy than is currently possible using GPS.
Professor Andrew Bradley was key to the idea, which has also included the involvement of computer giant Dell and defence technology company Roke. Former Donington Park boss Christopher Tate is also part of the initiative.
IRK says the system can “manage the discipline of track limits and provide 360-degree viewing of the entire facility combining cameras and sensors, with the potential for total race management, and to offer never before available outputs for circuit owners and operators”.
Mallory Park is currently being used as the test venue for the trial system, with masts, cameras and high-precision, infrared sensors feeding data to a central control room, as part of ‘Europe’s largest physics experiment’.
Work is under way to bring costs of future production versions down, for example by using tethered drones instead of masts – and could become wireless in the near future.
As well as its high accuracy, a key element is the low latency of the data – in other words, large amounts of data can be processed at high speed – because infrared is so precise it yields a low volume of data. It’s also weather-tolerant, so should operate just as well in misty and wet weather as in the dry.
Alongside obvious uses regarding policing track limits – with the data also potentially being transmitted to drivers – it can be used for car testing, driver coaching and gaming applications.
I R Kinetics CEO Gillian Switalski believes the system “opens up a whole new world to allow even the smaller circuits to create revenue”. “It can revolutionise how gaming is put together in sport,” she added.
As well as providing data for games – and allowing players to race along with the actual drivers in real time – the system could provide interactive viewing and circuits could use the data for broadcasting, allowing fans to view from parts of the track that are impossible to access in real life, or to follow specific cars. It can also provide dynamic advertising.
Switalski estimates that any circuits committing to the system could have it up and running inside three months, making 2025 operation feasible. Production versions should also be easy to use.
“The system has to be capable of being operated by me, not only by a rocket scientist,” said Switalski, who is also pursuing other markets, such as highways management and autonomous driving.
Motorsport UK’s view
Motorsport UK has seen the system in action. The governing body believes the technology has potential, providing it can be made feasible from a business perspective.
Motorsport UK CEO Hugh Chambers said: “There’s no question it deploys some very clever technology and it does what they said it would do.
“It’s very much welcomed that we have a technology player involved from other industries.
“Where there is work to do is on the business case – how the installation is funded and how the operation of it is managed and funded.
“They have some ideas on how to create new revenue but the details on making that a practical reality need work.
“We need to make sure it is affordable for all the stakeholders, not just in the short-term.
“I’m sure, in the fullness of time, the costs of the technology will come down, but we are very mindful on whether it’s got to be operated by volunteers or specific professionals.”
This comes at a time when Motorsport UK has recently launched a tender process for technology companies to make submissions for solutions to policing track limits.
The closing date for letters of interest was this week while detailed proposals need to be received by the end of the month.
“This is about to become a pretty comprehensive review of the technology out there,” added Chambers.
“Any system that can log and flag violations automatically with a digital footprint that is accurate will be largely trusted.
“We thank the community for all the hard work around track limits and acknowledge the current track-limits system is far from perfect and relies on non-digital processes.”
