New IndyCar telemetry system to benefit teams, safety workers

Provided by EM Motorsport, which also supplies electronic safety devices to Formula 1 and MotoGP, the new system streams hundreds of data channels from an array of onboard sensors to the teams and to race control.

The idea is to provide more data for the teams to optimize car set-up and monitor the health of the car to minimize potential reliability issues.

With the new telemetry in place, feedback and tracking of the safety systems has also been streamlined, providing additional critical data to the IndyCar Safety Team and response crews in the event of an incident.

EM Motorsport Positioning Data Module

Photo by: IndyCar Series

“EM Motorsport has become a valued partner to IndyCar and our teams,” said INDYCAR President Jay Frye. “Their work to implement the course marshalling system was flawless and extremely well received by our paddock, promoter partners and fans.

“Incorporating the EM Motorsport telemetry system with our growing paddock is the natural next step as definitive data is key to our race teams’ ability to make split second decisions.”

Operated in full for the first time during the pre-season two-day test at The Thermal Club, the telemetry system works in conjunction with pre-existing electronic marshalling in a new unified solution.

The all-in-one system means both the telemetry and marshalling systems come from the same source, therefore is managed locally with no data being sent off-site. This should not only increase reliability with less risk of interference between different operators, but also ensure the security of the data being transmitted.

Combining the two pieces of software also means fewer in-car components and wiring looms are required, thus generating a lighter and more sustainable solution that will be easier to install, configure and maintain and is more cost-effective.

EM Motorsport will continue to explore development avenues to expand the quality and quantity of information shared to and from the cars.

The partnership began with supplying Accident Data Recorders and Ear Plug Accelerometers in 2021. EM Motorsport’s Electronic Marshalling System, which connects race control and the local marshal flag panels directly to the cars on track, was introduced last season from the GMR Grand Prix on the Indianapolis road course, and won the Louis Schwitzer Award for Engineering Innovation and Excellence.

Luca De Angelis, EM Motorsport’s deputy manager, stated: “The NTT IndyCar Series will be the first to run this revolutionary all-in-one system of telemetry and electronic marshalling. This has been an ambition of EM Motorsport for many years and to achieve this with America’s premier single-seater series makes us extremely proud.

“The championship is leading by example of how other series can run a more cost-effective and elegant solution. We are greatly looking forward to working alongside IndyCar to expand the capabilities of the combined systems.”