Dunlop launches trial for RFID technology at Jerez test
Dunlop Motorsport today announced the trial of new electronic intelligence innovation embedded into the tyre of the world’s premier motorcycle racing event – MotoGP, where Dunlop is the official tyre partner of the Moto2 and Moto3 championships.
The company has announced its future goal is to increase tyres’ intelligence to the point that tyres are feeding back vital real-time information to the rider. The starting point of this evolution takes place today through testing at Circuito de Jerez in Spain.
Dunlop Motorsport has teamed up with MotoGP organisers Dorna Sports and IRTA (International Road Racing Teams Association) with the aim of introducing its award-winning RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification) technology at the start of the 2014 season. Dunlop Motorsport has already enjoyed success in global motorsport and truck industries with RFID, including the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship in the UK and the FIA European Truck Racing Championship.
The key element of the RFID technology is a tiny, 1cm chip. The microchip is built into the tyre on the assembly line at Dunlop’s centre of excellence in Birmingham, UK and is programmed with a unique code that identifies the tyre, enabling automatic reading to see the type and size of the tyre as well as its unique identity number.
The Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship in the UK and Dunlop Motorsport Europe successfully pioneered a world first in motorsport tyre technology in 2011 with all tyres on BTCC cars – exclusively supplied by Dunlop – automatically scanned as the cars drive into the pit lane. This ensures that each car is using the correct and allocated tyres at all times. In the FIA European Truck Racing Championship all Goodyear 315/70R22.5 truck race tyres are built with RFID. This system is used by the company for tyre management purposes at races and FIA (Federation Internationale de l’Automobile) officials use it for regulatory purposes.
The success of this innovative technology on four wheels is now being tested on Motorcycle tyres for the first time, explains Tony Duffy, Dunlop Operations Manager.
“When you look at key introductions in motorcycle motorsports over the years such as the restrictions of cylinders and gears in 1967 and the introduction of carbon brakes in 1988 we believe this is up there as one of the most significant introductions to Motorcycle racing since its inception.
“Firstly the RFID technology will be a huge benefit in ensuring no tyre is missed and we can provide the Moto2 and Moto3 organisers with a 100 per accurate log of each tyre’s activity. However, while the RFID chips only currently carry identifying data it may be possible in the future to make them dynamic so that real-time monitoring of various criteria is possible offering a range of exciting opportunities from a rider intelligence point of view.
“Whilst the technology has now been around for a couple of years in other global race categories, today we will be ensuring the RFID tags remain stable in the MotoGP tyre and fine-tuning the frequencies to the point where no tyre is ‘missed’ when bikes return from the track. Together with our technical partner Datalinx we have achieved a great breakthrough for motor sport globally and we are sure this will be a success in MotoGP from the start of next season.”
Source: Dunlop Motorsport
