Generally speaking, the term “telemetry” stands for the storage and analysis of data acquired onboard the racing vehicle (car, motorcycle, offshore, etc.).
It is hard to imagine that there are dozens and dozens of cables hiding underneath the “skin” of a racing car, connecting electronic control units to all kinds of sensors.
These sensors measure parameters and information such as, for example, the “number of laps” or the “brakes temperature”. The measurements are then sent to a device known as a “data logger”, which stores them on an internal memory.
The information coming from the “sensors” is then supplemented by data generated by the software installed on the electronic control units (for example, “fuel injection time in each individual cylinder moment by moment”).
Actually, with the term “telemetry” insiders mean data transmission via radio to the pits, for remote and real-time monitoring of the vehicle during the competition.
Every racing vehicle is monitored in all its parts, moment by moment.
Just to make things clear, on a Formula 1 car more than a thousand parameters are acquired, with sampling times ranging from one reading per second to more than 100,000 readings per second.
For example, the following information is stored and analysed:
· temperature of brakes, water, oil, fuel, engine, transmission, electronic control units and mechanical parts
· pressure of all hydraulic systems (water, fuel, brakes, transmission)
· data coming from the engine: RPM, injection and pressure, fuel, ignition times, etc.
· data coming from the chassis: suspensions, pressure on aerodynamic parts, all data concerning transmission, tyres, stability, balancing under braking, etc
· hundreds of diagnostics and mathematical channels indicating the results of software processing (strategies) carried out in real time by the onboard electronic control units
All this information is downloaded at the end of the trial or race, or received in real time via radio and analysed by team experts.
