Software anti-stall for new car?

[Marbles]

Jon Beekhuis mentioned during the race that they may use a software anti-stall solution, as in F1, for the new car. Seems lie a no-brainer to me. Seeing that F1 has used this for close to a decade I can't see any huge tech leap required for Indycar to implement this.

Got to admit, however, that not stalling has always been something I thought of as part of being a good driver but it happens to them all... ahh Tags!

Speaking of which, does anyone know if there is going to be a universal ECU?

[Dr. Krogshöj]

Positive development, should result in fewer full course yellows.

[DBell]

That's interesting. It would be a great help to keep cars running and have fewer yellow flags interrupting the races. I wonder how they will make this work. F1 has a computer controlled clutch that is key to their system. Indycar doesn't, so I wonder how they will be able to compensate for that. 10 year old F1 gearbox technology is still well advanced of what Indycar uses.

[call_me_andrew]

I'm glad that someone brought this up because I did some research on the matter a few years ago, and forgot about the matter until now.

Anti-stall works on Formula One cars because they use a regular manual transmission but with hydraulic pistons replacing the mechanical linkage. With a regular manual, you can shift into neutral at any time which is necessary for anti-stall.

IndyCars use the same old sequential gearbox from the pre-paddleshift days with different linkage. A sequential gearbox can only go into the next up or down gear and neutral is usually located between first and second. So if you spin in third gear, anti-stall can't put you in neutral because you can only go into second or fourth.

[Marbles]

IndyCars use the same old sequential gearbox from the pre-paddleshift days with different linkage. A sequential gearbox can only go into the next up or down gear and neutral is usually located between first and second. So if you spin in third gear, anti-stall can't put you in neutral because you can only go into second or fourth.

I don't know how this stuff works but could the clutch be brought into the equation -- the same way a driver would avoid stalling? Clutch engaged and gearbox electronically shifted to neutral.

Is it even going to be the same gearbox they use now?

[Marbles]

And then every time you engaged the clutch to get into 1st it would go back to neutral.

If you or I were in charge of designing the software and electronics then yes, that's probably what would happen.

[call_me_andrew]

The clutch isn't electronically controlled. Drivers still have to use a pedal for it.

[dataman1]

Good piece on F1 Transmission from 2003. Not sure of relevance but found it educational. It mentions anti-stall towards the end. Good photos as well.

http://www.scarbsf1.com/transmissions.html

[Jag_Warrior]

Are the new cars going to have onboard starters?

[DBell]

Are the new cars going to have onboard starters?

I don't believe so Jag, at least I haven't heard anything about that.

[nigelred5]

They shouldn't need starters if they are including an anti-stall.

[vintage]

They shouldn't need starters if they are including an anti-stall.

They're going to have anti-stall because they don't have starters.

[Mark in Oshawa]

Have one or the other. I would like starters and no anti stall. It would require a driver when losing it to have the brains to not stall in a spin or incident. It would reward good drivers for keeping their wits about them.

[dataman1]

Mark, good point. The price paid for on board starters is weight. The starter and battery will add significant weight...see DP01 record. I prefer speed and the show so my vote would be for anti-stall.

[call_me_andrew]

I vote for weight because I want to see the cars slow down in turns.

[nigelred5]

They're going to have anti-stall because they don't have starters.

Do you like brown eggs or white? lol.

I'd prefer a few mB of software and maybe a couple extra electro-hydraulic actuators to disengage the clutch over 50-100lbs of batteries and a starter motor that has already essentially proven ineffective. Indycars are already heavy beasts when it comes to road courses. When/ "IF" Indy embraces something like KERS batteries and a restarting mechanism would make sense.

I really tire of hearing we need "better drivers" that won't stall their cars. $#it happens sometimes. Even top F1 drivers used to regularly kill their cars until they introduced anti-stall. Hell, some of them could never even make it off the starting line.