Datalinx Tracks Tyres At Speed

Datalinx, in partnership with Dunlop Motorsport Europe have developed a system that is a leap forward for motorsport - a tracking system enabling all RFID tagged tires to be scanned and tracked throughout a race.

Each time a car makes a pit stop, as the car enters the pit lane and drives past the Datalinx 'Drive by Pit Lane Reader', an RFID tag embedded in each tyre is scanned and the information relayed to race officials enabling them to track the tyre from production, to team allocation, through to its return to Dunlop for recycling.

This system has been developed in conjunction with Dunlop and is in use at the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) race series.

The RFID tags are embedded into the tyre wall during manufacture making them tamper proof and at the same time cushioning them in the tyres compound during their use on the racetrack.

The scanning system is housed in a customised casing which was uniquely designed in consultation with Dunlop to be a representation of the Dunlop Bridge at Le Mans whilst not compromising the readability of the tags. The rugged casing is manoeuvrable allowing Dunlop to reposition it on the track and transport it with ease to different meetings.

BTCC Series Director Alan Gow adds: "Dunlop and Datalinx have achieved a great breakthrough for motor sport globally and I'm very proud that the BTCC has helped pioneer another world-first - one which, undoubtedly, other championships will eventually follow. In just three seasons we have gone from laboriously recording every serial number of every tyre used in every practice session and race - and then having to stop each car and visually check them - to having a fully computerised, automated and fool-proof system."

SOURCE: Datalinx