I was thinking this by myself, then I read Trulli's concerns and decided to post a topic: it is possible that certain team (e.g. McLaren) could by-pass ECU restrictions and "unlock" special features like traction control or so?
You must have missed the point of Trulli's comments. He's not talking about the ECU having traction control - he's talking about teams improving the vehicle launch using a combination of electronic and mechanical means. Teams have been trying to do this forever. Applying the name 'traction control' to it is a bit unfair.
Anyway he's only worried about it because he knows his team won't have it. Tough!
Exactly, because as I understand the standard ECU doesn't even have TC as a feature right? So if thats true, there is no way to "access" it or "unlock" it.
Besides, if a car was running TC it would be extremely obvious due to the different noises that are made when "activated".
I doubt that it's hard to design a possitive differential, that would let go of the power to the appropriate axle upon a sudden increase in speed from loss of traction. Upon a sudden acceleration not proportionate to the power being delivered. Once wheel speed accelerated out of porportion, the pinion and ring grars in the differential, could simply spin free of the axle(s)in question, until the wheel (that is loosing traction) regains traction.
A team could argue, that this is not a LC/TC system at all, but rather is simply a function of the standard differential in which one wheel must spin at a differnet speed to that of the other to negotiate a turn.
vis wrote:I was thinking this by myself, then I read Trulli's concerns and decided to post a topic: it is possible that certain team (e.g. McLaren) could by-pass ECU restrictions and "unlock" special features like traction control or so?
I'm pretty sure if you press " UP, DOWN, UP, X, TRIANGLE, SQUARE, DOWN" on the steering wheel you can unlock traction control. hehe
I'm assuming that the fundamental architecture of the new ECU is quite different than what the teams used to have. Based on the slight scraps of info coming out, it appears that the only input to the engine throttle is the driver's foot. My assumption is that previous teams' versions the driver's foot commanded inputs, and the UCE adjusted throttle, spark, etc. to suit parameters. That way, if a driver downshifted, the ECU would command the throttle to adjust the engine RPM to a specific RPM, and shifted gears. Now, with the new system, when a driver downshifts his foot is responsible for finding the correct RPM as the transmission selects a new gear.
I've got to brush up on my control theory, but we need a better understanding of the fundamental differences between the systems once used, and the new, standardized ECU.
Racing should be decided on the track, not the court room.
The FIA spends maybe a million dollars per year writing regulations, and hiring a couple of below-average engineers to act as scrutineers, to prevent cheating by the race teams. On the other hand, the race teams collectively spend hundreds of millions of dollars, and hire the top 2% of engineering grads every year, to figure out how to get around those rules.
Who do you think will come out on top in that contest? It's only cheating if you get caught, right?
"Q: How do you make a small fortune in racing?
A: Start with a large one!"
hehe