Electric automaker Rimac is working on a new technology called ‘driver coach’ to help you be a better driver on the race track. For testing, they’re using a Kia Stinger, but eventually the technology could be integrated into multiple cars.
The technology stack is fairly impressive, with 12 ultrasonic sensors, 9 cameras (with stereo vision), solid-state lidar and 6 radars.
The system is powered by Nvidia’s Drive Pegasus computer that in its testing form, consumes most of the boot space.
Founder, Mate Rimac, says the car is not just using GPS to navigate itself around the track, but rather has the smarts to avoid other obstacles and other vehicles.
Rimac’s Director of Autonomous Driving, Sacha Vrazic details the capabilities of the system. He says the system can identify objects, even when the car is travelling at 300km/hr.
After the car has driven around any track, it can map it, in just 2 laps. Thanks to its computer vision system, this could enable you to take this to a brand new track and in minutes, start getting recommendations of optimal racing lines. Furthermore, it can also help you understand where the limits of the car are, assisting you in getting that optimum lap time.
One interesting aspect of this system is that they’re also using a camera to monitor the driver. This isn’t checking if you’re sending a txt message, but instead monitoring you for things like stress, that in a race will fatigue you and ultimately result in you making poor decisions.
Given the car’s autonomous capabilities, it can even drive the ideal laps for you, to show you where you’re leaving time on the table. In the video below (1/3), you can see the car even has a voice to guide you around the track, letting you know where you can accelerate out of the turns faster.
With many enthusiasts taking their cars to the track, this technology is great to see and could result in more rapid development of racing car drivers.
Professional driving coaching doesn’t come cheap, but neither does the hardware shown here. If this is integrated into a million dollar Rimac, that’s one thing, but it’s possible Rimac commercialise this and sell to other OEMs.
