An
electronic control unit (ECU) monitors and manages all aspects of the
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 Ludwig. "Basically it is
controlling all of the functions."
Electronics
in a Formula 1 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," Ludwig
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
1 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 1 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.
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. Ludwig
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
1'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 Panasonic Toyota Racing. As a consequence,
so-called driver aids such as traction control, engine braking and
launch control have been eliminated.
But
that does not mean the 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.
Luca
says: "You never stop to learn 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 1 electronics out of the spotlight, but those rule
changes have not diminished the fundamental importance of electronics
to the performance of Panasonic Toyota Racing. Whenever the cars line
up on the grid, remember, it is not just the atmosphere which is
electric.
