1. If you suspect that the vehicle tends to oversteer in a corner, which sensors readings would you check to confirm your suspicions?

2. While on a road course, the first driver consistently achieves a lap time of 1 min 23 seconds while the second driver achieves a lap time of 1 min 45 seconds. As the race engineer, how would you coach the second driver to translate logged data into future ontrack gains? Hint: Assume you have a GPS (!), along with the usual other sensors. How can you overlay the data of both drivers, so you can compare their strengths and weaknesses?

3. With regards to data pulled from sensors, is the data always accurate? Can it be trusted to properly setup the vehicle?

4. True or False (If false please explain why) - Vehicle setup is solely dependent on the race engineer regardless of driver input because the race engineer can fully optimize the vehicle based on sensor data.

5. True or False (If false please explain why) - Sensor data should be logged during every session and compared with the engineers set up sheet, engineer’s notes, and driver’s notes during debriefing, to assess the effects of any changes done to the vehicle.

The following informaiton is not a question; it is just some extra background information.

some of the sensors that are being discussed are Hall Effect Sensors, Wheel Speed Sensor, Steering Angle Sensor, GPS, Linear Potentiometer, Wheel Speed Sensor, and a Steering Angle Sensor.

Some Sensor Functions...

Shock Travel Sensors - will be used to measure shock travel distance as well as shock speed. The motion is also important for determining proper shock damping rates. A shock should never be fully compressed, eliminating damping potential, which can result in the vehicle becoming unsettled and/or damaged. Based on shock travel data, vehicle status can be evaluated and adjusted to enhance performance. For example, if the vehicle continues to bounce up and down a number of times after the initial impact to the shocks, then it is likely that the vehicle is underdamped, and spring and damping rates can be adjusted.

Wheel Speed Sensor - measures revolutions per minute (RPM) and can be used as a tachometer. Hall effect sensors are a common type of wheel speed sensor.

GPS - can be used to measure absolute speed, the vehicle track position (racing line), and lap timing during road racing. The position information can be used in MoTeC's i2 data analysis software to show and compare the driven lines by each driver as well as create track maps. Additionally, a GPS unit can be a cost-effective alternative to the traditional lap timing system. GPS is a useful tool to help with driver learning. Since the position and speed are tracked, the race engineer can calculate the optimum position for the driver to begin braking, or where to start a turn to allow for the fasted lap time. And when debriefing the driver, it can be used to show where the driver needs to make improvements.

Accelerometer - the MoTeC C185 Display has a built-in 3-axis accelerometer, which measures acceleration in the x-y-z directions; however, it is located in the vehicle dash, not at the vehicle Cg. To simplify the analysis, we will pretend that the accelerometer data is located at the Cg for purposes of this course. The sensors are oriented to measure the lateral and longitudinal accelerations of the vehicle, such as in a turn or during acceleration or braking.

Steering Angle - measured in degrees, is recorded to better understand how the vehicle is reacting to driver inputs. For example, while in a turn, if the steering angle sharply rotates into a counter steer situation it is likely that the vehicle began to oversteer. The steering angle sensor fits into the end of a slotted steering shaft at the steering rack. - TPS (Throttle Position Sensor) - this mounted directly to the rotational shaft of the butterfly valve on the throttle body. It measures the rotation of the throttle body in degrees that is then read by the ECU and recorded for future analysis.

*Engine Speed (RPM) - measures the speed of the crankshaft of the vehicle and relays the information to the MoTeC dash unit. Engine speed is used to remain in peak power areas for the engine (around 11,000 RPM) as well as protecting the engine from damage of over revving the engine.

*Gear Position - determines what gear the vehicle is in and can be displayed for the driver. This eliminates any confusion of what gear the vehicle is in at a given time. This is especially helpful for sequential gearboxes, such as in the formula car, for knowing which gear the vehicle is in. Unlike traditional H pattern gearboxes, the shift lever reverts back to its original position after every shift and without a gear position sensor, the driver would be tasked with correctly counting which gear the vehicle is in. On the FSAE car, neutral is located between first and second gear. Therefore, the shift lever is pushed forward to select first gear, then pulled rearward to select 2nd through 6th gear.