The look of the Formula One cars is so much different from what we drive on the roads on a daily basis that you might not ever think any technology could make its way from these cars to the roads for the drive we make on a daily basis. The fact is, racing, including Formula One, has been the proving grounds and breeding grounds for much of the technology we see in the cars we drive on a daily basis or the other racing circuits around the world. Let’s take a look at some of the Formula One technology that’s been used in other areas of the market.
KERS –This is an acronym for Kinetic Energy Recapture System. When a car is traveling at over 200 mph and has to start braking there can be a ton of kinetic energy that’s lost. This system helps to recapture this energy and make it useable later. This has been used in the development of much of the hybrid technology we see on the roads today in the cars we love to drive.
J-Damper/Inerter –In order to race around a track a Formula One car has to be as stiff as possible to enhance the aerodynamics. If the suspension is too stiff the car could bounce on rougher parts of the track. This is where the J-damper came in which gives us the ability to travel and feel the wheels handle the rougher ride while continuing to give us the contact needed.
Active Suspension –You might think of the tracks for a Formula One car as smooth and without defect, but nothing would be farther from the truth. With an active suspension system, the car can learn more about the road and how to handle the rough patches, which has become one of the most important pieces of technology we see in the vehicles we drive every day.
Steering Wheel Controls and Display –The Formula One steering wheels have a ton of buttons for the controls needed and now so do the wheels we use to drive on a regular basis. Putting information directly in front of the driver makes perfect sense at 200 mph as does having a heads-up display in the car you take out on the road for the drive.
Monocoque Chassis –The ability to integrate the chassis and body together has created lighter models that are stronger and more rigid than ever before. This technology has made its way to several of the sports car builders of today to be a great way for them to save way and offer you the performance features you’re going to be able to enjoy during the drive.
Carbon Fiber –This material has been used in many different ways to ensure a car can be much lighter and stronger. While its more expensive than most, the use of carbon fiber has become one of the most incredible advances in the automotive industry with several of the top-end sports cars making use of this material to give us what we want for the drive.
Ground Effects –The ability to keep a car stuck on the ground is extremely important, especially when it’s a car going 200 mph that’s as light as Formula One cars are. The development of airflow and down force have allowed many cars to have the ability to stick to the tarmac much better than they would have if Formula One didn’t study and develop the aero parts that we enjoy.
Traction Control –This is a system that uses electronic sensors to manage the amount of power put to each wheel on the road to prevent wheel spin. This makes it easier for you to control where you’re going and it’s been used in Formula One racing for many years to help make it easier to keep the car stuck on the track while controlling a turn around a corner.
DRS –This stands for Drag Reduction Systems which help to adjust the active aerodynamic items to make it easier to get going when driving while adjusting to provide the down force needed at higher speeds. This is a technology we see on several sports cars with their adjustable rear wing that can be deployed and automatically adjusted as needed when you drive.
The Plank –A simple wood block is used to measure the ground clearance of a Formula One car, which is also necessary on the road and other tracks. You need a bit of ground clearance to avoid rubbing the ground and this simple wood block is what’s used to make sure a car is set the right way. Even though racing cars are low to ground there is enough clearance to avoid a mishap.
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