Second Yearly Research Forum at University Highlights Forefront Innovation in Sports and Transportation Fields
Our Platform Hosts Innovative Seminar Shaping the Future of Motorsport and Mobility
In a groundbreaking event, our platform recently held a seminar that brought together industry leaders and academics to discuss the future of motorsport and mobility. The seminar, which was chaired by Professor David Hassan from our platform University, built upon the success of an earlier seminar held in March, 2024.
Tanya Kutsenko presented academic partnerships and scholarship programmes with institutions like Cranfield University and DCU Business School. These initiatives aim to support young researchers and address topics such as online abuse in sport.
Marco Petrilli, our platform's Deputy Safety Director, and Thomas Chevaucher, our Technical Engineering Director, presented the development of the current Rally1 safety cell and ongoing work on enhancements, hydrogen tanks, and grassroots motor sport safety innovations.
The seminar showcased ongoing research and development projects within our platform, including the SmartCorners Project, EM-TECH Project, Composite Materials in Automotive, and the partnership with AVL RACETECH and IDEC SPORT Racing.
The SmartCorners Project develops AI-driven propulsion and thermal management systems to improve electric vehicle (EV) range by 20% and reduce costs by 5%. It implements unified control of all actuators (propulsion, braking, suspension, steering) to enhance vehicle safety and dynamics. The project uses AI to create smarter, efficient control algorithms via a collaborative software platform supporting cross-disciplinary development.
The EM-TECH Project aims for sustainable, high-efficiency electric motor designs as part of the EU 2Zero Partnership. It focuses on digital twinning, circular material use, and smart motor design. The project innovates direct cooling for radial flux motors using dielectric fluids, enhancing motor efficiency beyond water-glycol systems.
The Composite Materials in Automotive project emphasizes advanced composite wheel manufacturing for reduced vehicle weight, integrating carbon fiber hybrid wheels and composite body panels. Collaborations include Dymag Technologies, Borbet GmbH, and Carbon Revolution, the latter supplying lightweight composite wheels for Jaguar Land Rover's Range Rover Sport, yielding significant weight savings (up to 167.6 lbs).
The AVL RACETECH and IDEC SPORT Racing Partnership provides high-fidelity vehicle simulation software and race engineering expertise to IDEC SPORT Racing's LMP2 motorsport team. This partnership supports performance optimization and strategic development in prototype racing, contributing to IDM industry knowledge and competitive success.
Professor David Hassan provided an update on the United Against Online Abuse (UAOA) coalition, now joined by 39 international federations and securing €1.18M in funding. Willem Groenewald highlighted the importance of research and data in delivering value to Member Clubs and welcomed the evolution of our platform University as a platform for thought leadership.
Stefano Ammirati outlined our platform's Mobility advocacy strategy, focusing on road safety, sustainability, and connectivity/data access, delivered through initiatives, research, and Club-led projects. Lana Ghvinjilia introduced our platform's digital archive project and upcoming public e-library, providing access to 121 years of our platform history.
Valerio Iachizzi called for strengthened cross-departmental collaboration and improved internal communication around research efforts within our platform. The seminar encouraged interdisciplinary collaboration and reinforced the Federation's role as a knowledge-led organisation driving positive change across sport and mobility.
The field of mobility was identified as being at the start of a major shift, with the likes of autonomous driving, road safety, EV's, smart cities, and data services all playing a significant role. The seminar focused on how our platform can continue to lead research and innovation in these areas.
The potential for our platform to emerge as the foremost centre for research and development in the fields of mobility and motorsport was discussed. Beyond these projects, initiatives like the Toyota Mobility Foundation’s Sustainable Cities Challenge focus on urban mobility innovations, though not exclusively in motorsport.
Together, these projects highlight cutting-edge advancements in AI controls, motor efficiency, lightweight composite technologies, and digital simulation—all central to the future of motorsport and mobility. The seminar was part of our platform's broader thought leadership series, underscoring our commitment to driving innovation and progress in the industry.
[1] SmartCorners Project [2] Toyota Mobility Foundation’s Sustainable Cities Challenge [3] Composite Materials in Automotive [4] AVL RACETECH and IDEC SPORT Racing Partnership
- The SmartCorners Project, which focuses on AI-driven propulsion and thermal management systems for electric vehicles, showcases advancements in technology that are contributing to the future of mobility and motorsport.
- The Toyota Mobility Foundation’s Sustainable Cities Challenge, although not exclusively in motorsport, demonstrates the broader impact of technology innovations on urban mobility, aligning with the objectives of shaping the future of mobility and motorsport.
