Racing Simulation

Racing simulation is an area heavily in development and becoming more and more sophisticated each year. However, racing simulation is lagging behind flight simulation. This is not a new phenomenon, aerodynamics and windtunnels were introduced in automotive design decennia after initiation in aviation design. Now aerodynamics is the most important aspect of racing car design.

In civil aviation nowadays, it is perfectly normal for a pilot to 'fly' up to 70% of the training time in a simulator. So, it is likely that simulation in racing will grow in importance in the years to come.

Simulation technology can be devided in three area's analogue to the human senses; sight, hearing and touching / feeling. Scent is an important aspect for racing (the smell of rubber, fuel etc) but not yet in simulation.

Sight, Visuals

Racing simulation has begun with the development of visuals, first monochrome (black & white) 2D, later in full color and at present with full 3D environment, cars, drivers, circuits, crashes, weather etc. The quality of the visuals is getting very realistic and even professional racers are starting to seriously use simulation for training etc.

Some screenshots of the graphics engine

As PC's and graphics cards are getting faster and cheaper at an incredible pace, high level simulation is already available for 'normal' home pc's. Furthermore, PC's can be used for profesisonal simulation where 7 years ago an Image generator was needed. Therefor simulation will be(come) available to a larger public.

Audio, Sound

Sound is an important 'stimulus' for racing simulation and can contribute a lot to the overall experience, fun and the reality feel of the simulation. The quality of sound nowadays is getting quite sophisticated.

Touch / Feel, Force / Motion

Until now, few company's have entered the area of motion and accelerations in racing simulation. This is not a coincidence when one realises the complexity of the technology nessecary for this area of expertise. RacingInteraction focuses entirely on this technology.

Actually, force and motion can be divided in two area's; force feedback controls, where the force aspect is interactive, meaning; both input from the driver and output on the controls (e.g. steering wheel). And motion, which outputs motion, position and acceleration (g-force) to the driver, or the complete racing car.

The feel and the reality of force feedback and motion is very dependant of the quality of the actual 'vehicle dynamics model' in the simulation software. This vehicle dynamics model produces the torque, and motion output data that will be transformed to physical force and motion in the steering and motion unit.

The level of the vehicle dynamics models in the racing simulation software will evolve to a higher level and with more detail when high quality force feedback equipment is available to the racing simulation market. Furthermore, also the evolution of circuit modeling, e.g. tarmac, curves, curbstones, inclinations, etc. etc. will be essential to the complete simulation experience.

Eventually, racingcars will be designed and tested in a simulation environment before they will be actually built in reality. Just like they are now designed and tested in a windtunnel.

People all over the world will have the chance of driving these high performance cars in simulations and future drivers probably will emerge from the simulation community.

Robert Hoevers, CEO RacingInteraction