(Basic Architecture of the MaLaren Electronics solution created and deployed using the Microsoft Application Platform)
(SQL Server Data displayed in Office Excel)
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Understanding the ECU (Engine Control Unit)
First things first, to understand the ECU, you need to know why it was developed. Computers have been used for many years to develop F1 cars and to gather data from them to transmit back to the garages during a race. The FIA invited manufacturers of automotive electronics in 2006 to come up with a single design of the ECU for all teams across the whole of Formula One to use. The chosen design by McLaren Electronics and Microsoft, with its SQL Server 2008 database, supplied all competing F1 teams in both 2008 and 2009, and will continue to do so for 2010. The contract supplies all teams with the ECU, the ATLAS (Advanced Telemetry Linked Analysis System) Server and the ATLAS Client.
The ECU is the onboard device that gathers the data from the car’s engine, suspension system, transmission, and frame components through many sensors, encrypting it to transmit to the ATLAS Server. This then decodes the data and sends it to the ATLAS Client, which allows support teams to access the real time data on their laptops in the back of their garages. The teams can then monitor the performance of the car and inform the driver of any issues. For the top teams, such as McLaren and Ferrari, there can be several engineers constantly analysing the data which is generated by the ECU, with some of them focusing on the transmission feeds, and others on the telemetry from the engine and suspension.
Ok, so this all seems rather confusing, and unless you are an engineer, a simple fan of the sport may not feel like they need to know all this. But actually, when you peel away the in depth analysis and explanations into how it all works, it is incredibly fascinating.
So… That’s what McLaren Electronics and Microsoft provides for the current Formula One teams, and now we also know that it’s because the FIA asked for it, but why, and what does it achieve that makes it so important?
The FIA originally invited manufacturers to design a single ECU, for that simple reason: it would be the sole ECU. This ultimately meant that there would be a level playing field between all the teams, and it would also be a way to control costs within the sport. Apart from that, the ECU maintains safety, and these were the key reasons why the FIA challenged a design. It was McLaren Electronics that ultimately saw the potential of the FILESTREAM feature of the Microsoft SQL Server 2008 database software and after testing its efficiency through a proof of concept test, McLaren Electronics were able to put it into production as their solution to a single ECU that would provide a database that could handle and store a high volume of data for quick and easy access. As teams generate a high volume of data from wind tunnels, simulations, and previous races and practice and test sessions, the SQL Server 2008, is able to gain the same performance from historical data such as the above examples, as well as that of real time data during the race itself, something that previous databases were unable to achieve.
So what are the benefits? One benefit of the ECU is that it saves the teams from having to conduct additional tests to gather data, as if it is already on the database, whether it is from earlier in the day, from the same circuit the year before, or from simulations, they can access it and analyse it, without having to repeat a test, and this ultimately saves money. Immediate access to historical data is another benefit. This enables the teams to access data from previous years at a specific track and from simulations in order to help them with their set up for the car over that particular weekend. The immediate access of data also enables teams to determine what may need to be changed on the car when a driver pits if he has been complaining that the car is not performing as it should be.
During a race, one to two gigabytes of data is gathered on just one car, and over the course of a year, with free practice and qualifying included, up to two to three terabytes is eventually gathered. Therefore the solution provided by McLaren Electronics is vital in terms of speed in accessing the data, and it’s also vital in terms of accurate storage. In other words, making sure no data gets lost is crucial to a Formula One team, as before the SQL Server 2008, lost data would have to have been retrieved from the car after the race: lost data that could have ultimately been needed during the race. Teams need to be able to make immediate decisions during the race, after all a lot can happen in a lap, and waiting to make the decision could be crucial to the outcome of the final standings. The endless amounts of data gathered during the race itself, through previous races at the same track, and through simulations, all being accessed immediately upon request, all helps towards the engineers being able to make swift decisions.
There is also another key benefit: the ability to work offline. The SQL Server 2008 Express enables team members to work alone away from the central database. This is important when one single engineer is working alone, perhaps with a driver, on a test rig, or while testing new equipment with a supplier. While out alone an engineer will still need to be able to access the database just like he would as part of the trackside team, and the benefit of the SQL Server 2008 Express, which can be downloaded for free, means he can access the full database wherever he is. This benefit alone shows how advanced this piece of technology is, and altogether, the solution provided by McLaren Electronics, enables all Formula One teams to constantly develop their cars, constantly improving their performance
The ECU is the onboard device that gathers the data from the car’s engine, suspension system, transmission, and frame components through many sensors, encrypting it to transmit to the ATLAS Server. This then decodes the data and sends it to the ATLAS Client, which allows support teams to access the real time data on their laptops in the back of their garages. The teams can then monitor the performance of the car and inform the driver of any issues. For the top teams, such as McLaren and Ferrari, there can be several engineers constantly analysing the data which is generated by the ECU, with some of them focusing on the transmission feeds, and others on the telemetry from the engine and suspension.
Ok, so this all seems rather confusing, and unless you are an engineer, a simple fan of the sport may not feel like they need to know all this. But actually, when you peel away the in depth analysis and explanations into how it all works, it is incredibly fascinating.
So… That’s what McLaren Electronics and Microsoft provides for the current Formula One teams, and now we also know that it’s because the FIA asked for it, but why, and what does it achieve that makes it so important?
The FIA originally invited manufacturers to design a single ECU, for that simple reason: it would be the sole ECU. This ultimately meant that there would be a level playing field between all the teams, and it would also be a way to control costs within the sport. Apart from that, the ECU maintains safety, and these were the key reasons why the FIA challenged a design. It was McLaren Electronics that ultimately saw the potential of the FILESTREAM feature of the Microsoft SQL Server 2008 database software and after testing its efficiency through a proof of concept test, McLaren Electronics were able to put it into production as their solution to a single ECU that would provide a database that could handle and store a high volume of data for quick and easy access. As teams generate a high volume of data from wind tunnels, simulations, and previous races and practice and test sessions, the SQL Server 2008, is able to gain the same performance from historical data such as the above examples, as well as that of real time data during the race itself, something that previous databases were unable to achieve.
So what are the benefits? One benefit of the ECU is that it saves the teams from having to conduct additional tests to gather data, as if it is already on the database, whether it is from earlier in the day, from the same circuit the year before, or from simulations, they can access it and analyse it, without having to repeat a test, and this ultimately saves money. Immediate access to historical data is another benefit. This enables the teams to access data from previous years at a specific track and from simulations in order to help them with their set up for the car over that particular weekend. The immediate access of data also enables teams to determine what may need to be changed on the car when a driver pits if he has been complaining that the car is not performing as it should be.
During a race, one to two gigabytes of data is gathered on just one car, and over the course of a year, with free practice and qualifying included, up to two to three terabytes is eventually gathered. Therefore the solution provided by McLaren Electronics is vital in terms of speed in accessing the data, and it’s also vital in terms of accurate storage. In other words, making sure no data gets lost is crucial to a Formula One team, as before the SQL Server 2008, lost data would have to have been retrieved from the car after the race: lost data that could have ultimately been needed during the race. Teams need to be able to make immediate decisions during the race, after all a lot can happen in a lap, and waiting to make the decision could be crucial to the outcome of the final standings. The endless amounts of data gathered during the race itself, through previous races at the same track, and through simulations, all being accessed immediately upon request, all helps towards the engineers being able to make swift decisions.
There is also another key benefit: the ability to work offline. The SQL Server 2008 Express enables team members to work alone away from the central database. This is important when one single engineer is working alone, perhaps with a driver, on a test rig, or while testing new equipment with a supplier. While out alone an engineer will still need to be able to access the database just like he would as part of the trackside team, and the benefit of the SQL Server 2008 Express, which can be downloaded for free, means he can access the full database wherever he is. This benefit alone shows how advanced this piece of technology is, and altogether, the solution provided by McLaren Electronics, enables all Formula One teams to constantly develop their cars, constantly improving their performance
Toyota on Formula One electronics
To even a casual observer, it is clear a Formula One car would be largely useless without tyres, a chassis or an engine - but what about electronics? You may not think you see electronics at work when the drivers hit the track, but without such technical wizardry, the cars would not even leave the garage.
"If you removed the electronics from the car, it would not even start," explains Ludwig Zeller, Toyota’s senior manager electric and electronic. "It would not run; there would be no action. You could look at the car; you could push the car - but nothing else."
An electronic control unit (ECU) monitors and manages all aspects of the Toyota TF108's electrical systems and it is this device which is fundamental to simply starting the engine, let alone getting the best possible performance from it lap after lap. "The ECU in the car is like the nerve centre for your body," explains Zeller. "Basically it is controlling all of the functions."
Electronics in a Formula One car can be roughly divided into two categories; those that control aspects of the car, and those that monitor the car's behaviour.
There are around 250 sensors on the TF108, giving feedback on approximately 1,300 different parameters. The data from these sensors can be studied back in the garage and it is used to advise the driver what settings to change on his car; an action he can complete whilst driving flat-out.
Like a road car, the TF108 draws its electricity from an alternator and stores it in a battery under the driver's seat, although these specialised alternators are significantly smaller and lighter, while the battery is designed to be resistant to the vibrations which come with driving at over 300km/h.
From the ultra high-tech seamless shift, semi-automatic gearbox and settings on the 2.4litre V8 engine right through to the driver's drinks bottle, many aspects of the TF108 are controlled by electronics on the steering wheel.
"The steering wheel is the most important interface for the driver," Zeller says. "From the steering wheel he can change almost everything. If there is a change in conditions, for example if the weather changes from dry to wet, he has to adapt all his settings for the brakes, for the engine, for the differential, for the gearshift. He really can control the car."
Formula One rules place strict limits on what can be done electronically, so it is not possible to alter any aspect of the car's behaviour remotely from the pit garage. However, using dials and switches on his steering wheel, a driver can still make significant adjustments himself. One major aspect the driver can influence from his steering wheel is the fuel economy of his engine.
While it may seem that a Formula One car is flat-out at all times, there are times when reduced fuel consumption will not negatively affect overall performance but could provide a strategic advantage, when stuck behind a slower rival or behind a safety car for example.
Toyota’s senior general manager engine Luca Marmorini reveals: "There are two switches for engine control on the steering wheel. In particular one allows the driver to change the engine map, allowing him to choose one of several options - each one corresponds to a different fuelling of the engine. Typically number one is the performance fuelling map, and he has then four other possible maps where he can save fuel during the lap. Sometimes it's very important to save fuel for delaying a pit stop, for example."
With such a vital role played by electronics, these systems - like everything else on the car - must be tested thoroughly to get the best possible performance, and for this a specialised testing unit, called a 'hardware in the loop' (HIL) system, has been developed.
This unit contains all the TF108's electronic systems and allows engineers to run through laps of a circuit in specific situations to ensure maximum performance; without needing a TF108 or its engine. Zeller adds: "The HIL simulation is basically our car. We can simulate everything, we can play back track data and we can simulate problems for our car."
Formula One racing's electronic rules became stricter at the start of 2008 when a standard ECU was introduced, meaning all teams must use the same part with no modifications, greatly reducing the freedom given to the electronic experts at Toyota. As a consequence, so-called driver aids such as traction control, engine braking and launch control have been eliminated.
But that does not mean Toyota’s electronics specialists in Cologne have an easy life this season, far from it. The HIL system has been particularly valuable in understanding the standard ECU and streamlining how it is used within the TF108.
Marmorini says: "You never stop learning how an ECU works because each time you need to check the reaction of your driver, of your car, and to tune all your parameters to do the best job. So I would say we are definitely still learning about it. The team did an excellent job to adapt and since the beginning of the year we have been well prepared, even if the learning process is continuous."
The removal of driver aids and the introduction of a standard ECU may have taken Formula One electronics out of the spotlight, but those rule changes have not diminished the fundamental importance of electronics to the performance of the cars. Whenever the cars line up on the grid, remember, it is not just the atmosphere which is electric.
"If you removed the electronics from the car, it would not even start," explains Ludwig Zeller, Toyota’s senior manager electric and electronic. "It would not run; there would be no action. You could look at the car; you could push the car - but nothing else."
An electronic control unit (ECU) monitors and manages all aspects of the Toyota TF108's electrical systems and it is this device which is fundamental to simply starting the engine, let alone getting the best possible performance from it lap after lap. "The ECU in the car is like the nerve centre for your body," explains Zeller. "Basically it is controlling all of the functions."
Electronics in a Formula One car can be roughly divided into two categories; those that control aspects of the car, and those that monitor the car's behaviour.
There are around 250 sensors on the TF108, giving feedback on approximately 1,300 different parameters. The data from these sensors can be studied back in the garage and it is used to advise the driver what settings to change on his car; an action he can complete whilst driving flat-out.
Like a road car, the TF108 draws its electricity from an alternator and stores it in a battery under the driver's seat, although these specialised alternators are significantly smaller and lighter, while the battery is designed to be resistant to the vibrations which come with driving at over 300km/h.
From the ultra high-tech seamless shift, semi-automatic gearbox and settings on the 2.4litre V8 engine right through to the driver's drinks bottle, many aspects of the TF108 are controlled by electronics on the steering wheel.
"The steering wheel is the most important interface for the driver," Zeller says. "From the steering wheel he can change almost everything. If there is a change in conditions, for example if the weather changes from dry to wet, he has to adapt all his settings for the brakes, for the engine, for the differential, for the gearshift. He really can control the car."
Formula One rules place strict limits on what can be done electronically, so it is not possible to alter any aspect of the car's behaviour remotely from the pit garage. However, using dials and switches on his steering wheel, a driver can still make significant adjustments himself. One major aspect the driver can influence from his steering wheel is the fuel economy of his engine.
While it may seem that a Formula One car is flat-out at all times, there are times when reduced fuel consumption will not negatively affect overall performance but could provide a strategic advantage, when stuck behind a slower rival or behind a safety car for example.
Toyota’s senior general manager engine Luca Marmorini reveals: "There are two switches for engine control on the steering wheel. In particular one allows the driver to change the engine map, allowing him to choose one of several options - each one corresponds to a different fuelling of the engine. Typically number one is the performance fuelling map, and he has then four other possible maps where he can save fuel during the lap. Sometimes it's very important to save fuel for delaying a pit stop, for example."
With such a vital role played by electronics, these systems - like everything else on the car - must be tested thoroughly to get the best possible performance, and for this a specialised testing unit, called a 'hardware in the loop' (HIL) system, has been developed.
This unit contains all the TF108's electronic systems and allows engineers to run through laps of a circuit in specific situations to ensure maximum performance; without needing a TF108 or its engine. Zeller adds: "The HIL simulation is basically our car. We can simulate everything, we can play back track data and we can simulate problems for our car."
Formula One racing's electronic rules became stricter at the start of 2008 when a standard ECU was introduced, meaning all teams must use the same part with no modifications, greatly reducing the freedom given to the electronic experts at Toyota. As a consequence, so-called driver aids such as traction control, engine braking and launch control have been eliminated.
But that does not mean Toyota’s electronics specialists in Cologne have an easy life this season, far from it. The HIL system has been particularly valuable in understanding the standard ECU and streamlining how it is used within the TF108.
Marmorini says: "You never stop learning how an ECU works because each time you need to check the reaction of your driver, of your car, and to tune all your parameters to do the best job. So I would say we are definitely still learning about it. The team did an excellent job to adapt and since the beginning of the year we have been well prepared, even if the learning process is continuous."
The removal of driver aids and the introduction of a standard ECU may have taken Formula One electronics out of the spotlight, but those rule changes have not diminished the fundamental importance of electronics to the performance of the cars. Whenever the cars line up on the grid, remember, it is not just the atmosphere which is electric.
F1 Electronics: The Car’s Brains
F1 Electronics: The car’s brains
Electronics control engine, transmission, and chassis systems. Just as in a modern road car, an ECU (electronic control unit) determines the Formula One engine’s optimum fuel and ignition settings based on thousands of measurements each second taken by dozens of sensors and controlled by thousands of parameters. Electronic radio signals have replaced cables and linkages to give a “drive-by-wire” system similar to those used in modern aircraft. The throttle, for example, has no linkage between the pedal and the fuel supply other than an electronic one. Electronics, in conjunction with a hydraulic system, also control when the car changes gear, based upon what the engine is doing. The differential – the mechanical device that determines how the power is split between the rear wheels – is controlled electro-hydraulically, too. But perhaps the most controversial use of electronics is that for traction control. Based on measurements of wheelspin and engine torque, a computer limits power to the rear wheels in order to make the car faster and easier to control. These are Formula One drivers, you say, and should be able to control traction themselves? You’ve got a good point, and the drivers can do it themselves, but the computer does it better. Charges of this de-humanising the sport are difficult to argue with. The problem has been getting detection techniques sophisticated enough to control the use of traction control. It’s the age-old story of those designing the cars being cleverer than those making the rules.
Electronics control engine, transmission, and chassis systems. Just as in a modern road car, an ECU (electronic control unit) determines the Formula One engine’s optimum fuel and ignition settings based on thousands of measurements each second taken by dozens of sensors and controlled by thousands of parameters. Electronic radio signals have replaced cables and linkages to give a “drive-by-wire” system similar to those used in modern aircraft. The throttle, for example, has no linkage between the pedal and the fuel supply other than an electronic one. Electronics, in conjunction with a hydraulic system, also control when the car changes gear, based upon what the engine is doing. The differential – the mechanical device that determines how the power is split between the rear wheels – is controlled electro-hydraulically, too. But perhaps the most controversial use of electronics is that for traction control. Based on measurements of wheelspin and engine torque, a computer limits power to the rear wheels in order to make the car faster and easier to control. These are Formula One drivers, you say, and should be able to control traction themselves? You’ve got a good point, and the drivers can do it themselves, but the computer does it better. Charges of this de-humanising the sport are difficult to argue with. The problem has been getting detection techniques sophisticated enough to control the use of traction control. It’s the age-old story of those designing the cars being cleverer than those making the rules.
Steering Wheel
Steering wheel
History
As recently as 1992, the steering wheel on a Formula 1 car was a relatively plain, straightforward piece of equipment, round in shape, with a metal plate at the centre to attach it to the steering column, and generally no more than three buttons – one for selecting neutral, one for releasing liquid through a tube in the helmet for the driver to replenish his fluid levels and one for the radio.
McLaren cockpit with fitted steering wheelThe advent of complex electronic systems in Formula 1 throughout the 1990s changed all that. McLaren engineer John Barnard was the first to introduce this system and enabled Nigel Mansell To shift gears without having to move a hand away from the steering wheel. It was introduced as a lever system at the back of the steering wheel. A pull on the left paddle will shift one gear down while the right paddle shifts up in a similar way. This eliminates the possibility of a driver missing a gear, therefore increasing the smoothness and improving the timing of gearshifts. Together with the introduction of semi-automatic gearboxes, this was one of the most changing introductions in the history of Formula One, especially on the driver's side. Later on, when left foot braking was introduced into Formula One, the clutch pedal was removed and replaced by a fully automatic hydraulic clutch, activated when the driver shifts gears on the steering wheel.
Engine mapping, traction control and the advent of launch control programs that optimised the race start procedure all required various buttons and toggle switches to enable the driver to fine-tune his car’s settings while on-track. Modern Formula 1 steering wheels are also equipped with a further lever clutch lever which the driver can use to declutch when standing still, such as during a pitstop or in the gravel to keep the engine running.
Construction
Today, a steering wheel is a complex electronic device that allows the driver to control a vast amount of carsettings. The teams often assign one engineer that is responsible for its electronics and the design so that the drivers can use it comfortably. For that reason, today's handles of a steering wheel are anatomically formed and made of hard rubber that provides extra grip for the driver's hands. The main part of the wheel however is constructed, just like almost every car part, of carbon fibre to reduce its weight. The pieces used today have a pricetag of around € 23.000 each.
The manufacture of any part on a Formula 1 car is a complex process, and the steering wheel is no exception. Various lightweight materials are used for its production, including the before mentioned carbon fibre and rubber with aluminium, titanium, steel and plastic. A complete steering wheel can take approximately 100 hours to produce from start to finish.
With the average steering wheel controlling as many as 12 separate parameters on the car, there is a large number of components, buttons and switches that have to be fitted during the manufacturing process – some 120 separate items in all. Yet, despite the myriad of materials and parts that make up each completed wheel, the weight of the finished unit, as fitted to the car, is just 1.3 kg.
During the season, a minimum of five steering wheels is constructed for each of the team’s two race drivers. Of these, three remain with the race team while two are held with the test team. In addition, on average two steering wheels have to be produced for each regular testdriver. Some teams, despite the cost of a steering wheel, remove the steering wheel from the car after a race win to put it in the team's collection as a memory to the win.
As imposed by FIA regulations, the steering wheel must be fitted with a quick release mechanism operated by pulling a concentric flange installed on the steering column behind the wheel.
The BMW Sauber 2006 steering wheel
BMW Sauber 2006 steering wheel
1. Pit lane speed limiter
2. Differential +
3. Engine push
4. Gear upshift
5. Traction control +
6. Engine push setting switch
7. Clutch lever
8. Traction control
9. Team info inlap
10. Burn out
11. Multifunctional switch
12. Lambda 13. Diagnostic
14. Wing angle info switch
15. Clutch
16. Differential selective switch
17. Team radio
18. Traction control -
19. Gear downshift
20. Engine break
21. Differential -
22. Neutral
23. Display page change
Ferrari 2002 steering wheel
After some time of consistency, the Ferrari steering wheel has been changed again at the beginning of the 2002 season and remained like that for the next couple of years.
Ferrari steering wheel anno 2002
It's main buttons allow the driver to do the following:
* The big display in the center-top display all the information you can image: engine revs, laptimes, speed, gear, ...
* The green-black button N to put the gearbox in neutral
* The black-red LC button, to change setting of the launch control
* The red-black L button, to apply the speed limiter in the pit lane
* The yellow button radio is a switch for the onboard radio
* Buttons M and Bo on the top are multifunctional buttons for display adjustments
* The blue rotating button is to adjust the fuel-air mix in the engine
* The button under air-fuel allows the driver to regulate the braking pressure on the front and rear wheels
* The button above air-fuel permits adjustments to the power steering
* The 3 rotating buttons on the right are all for engine adjustments
History
As recently as 1992, the steering wheel on a Formula 1 car was a relatively plain, straightforward piece of equipment, round in shape, with a metal plate at the centre to attach it to the steering column, and generally no more than three buttons – one for selecting neutral, one for releasing liquid through a tube in the helmet for the driver to replenish his fluid levels and one for the radio.
McLaren cockpit with fitted steering wheelThe advent of complex electronic systems in Formula 1 throughout the 1990s changed all that. McLaren engineer John Barnard was the first to introduce this system and enabled Nigel Mansell To shift gears without having to move a hand away from the steering wheel. It was introduced as a lever system at the back of the steering wheel. A pull on the left paddle will shift one gear down while the right paddle shifts up in a similar way. This eliminates the possibility of a driver missing a gear, therefore increasing the smoothness and improving the timing of gearshifts. Together with the introduction of semi-automatic gearboxes, this was one of the most changing introductions in the history of Formula One, especially on the driver's side. Later on, when left foot braking was introduced into Formula One, the clutch pedal was removed and replaced by a fully automatic hydraulic clutch, activated when the driver shifts gears on the steering wheel.
Engine mapping, traction control and the advent of launch control programs that optimised the race start procedure all required various buttons and toggle switches to enable the driver to fine-tune his car’s settings while on-track. Modern Formula 1 steering wheels are also equipped with a further lever clutch lever which the driver can use to declutch when standing still, such as during a pitstop or in the gravel to keep the engine running.
Construction
Today, a steering wheel is a complex electronic device that allows the driver to control a vast amount of carsettings. The teams often assign one engineer that is responsible for its electronics and the design so that the drivers can use it comfortably. For that reason, today's handles of a steering wheel are anatomically formed and made of hard rubber that provides extra grip for the driver's hands. The main part of the wheel however is constructed, just like almost every car part, of carbon fibre to reduce its weight. The pieces used today have a pricetag of around € 23.000 each.
The manufacture of any part on a Formula 1 car is a complex process, and the steering wheel is no exception. Various lightweight materials are used for its production, including the before mentioned carbon fibre and rubber with aluminium, titanium, steel and plastic. A complete steering wheel can take approximately 100 hours to produce from start to finish.
With the average steering wheel controlling as many as 12 separate parameters on the car, there is a large number of components, buttons and switches that have to be fitted during the manufacturing process – some 120 separate items in all. Yet, despite the myriad of materials and parts that make up each completed wheel, the weight of the finished unit, as fitted to the car, is just 1.3 kg.
During the season, a minimum of five steering wheels is constructed for each of the team’s two race drivers. Of these, three remain with the race team while two are held with the test team. In addition, on average two steering wheels have to be produced for each regular testdriver. Some teams, despite the cost of a steering wheel, remove the steering wheel from the car after a race win to put it in the team's collection as a memory to the win.
As imposed by FIA regulations, the steering wheel must be fitted with a quick release mechanism operated by pulling a concentric flange installed on the steering column behind the wheel.
The BMW Sauber 2006 steering wheel
BMW Sauber 2006 steering wheel
1. Pit lane speed limiter
2. Differential +
3. Engine push
4. Gear upshift
5. Traction control +
6. Engine push setting switch
7. Clutch lever
8. Traction control
9. Team info inlap
10. Burn out
11. Multifunctional switch
12. Lambda 13. Diagnostic
14. Wing angle info switch
15. Clutch
16. Differential selective switch
17. Team radio
18. Traction control -
19. Gear downshift
20. Engine break
21. Differential -
22. Neutral
23. Display page change
Ferrari 2002 steering wheel
After some time of consistency, the Ferrari steering wheel has been changed again at the beginning of the 2002 season and remained like that for the next couple of years.
Ferrari steering wheel anno 2002
It's main buttons allow the driver to do the following:
* The big display in the center-top display all the information you can image: engine revs, laptimes, speed, gear, ...
* The green-black button N to put the gearbox in neutral
* The black-red LC button, to change setting of the launch control
* The red-black L button, to apply the speed limiter in the pit lane
* The yellow button radio is a switch for the onboard radio
* Buttons M and Bo on the top are multifunctional buttons for display adjustments
* The blue rotating button is to adjust the fuel-air mix in the engine
* The button under air-fuel allows the driver to regulate the braking pressure on the front and rear wheels
* The button above air-fuel permits adjustments to the power steering
* The 3 rotating buttons on the right are all for engine adjustments
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)