McLaren Applied, Blu Wireless find new gear for ultra high-speed telemetry

British engineering and technology company McLaren Applied is partnering with mmWave technology provider Blu Wireless to deliver ultra high-speed telemetry services for motorsport applications, providing a data pipe that can handle all data and video streams from a race car in real-time.

With more than three decades in F1 and other global motorsports, McLaren Applied boasts expertise in electrification, connectivity, control and sensing.

The company said the new collaboration with Blu Wireless will aim to bring a step change in connectivity in the harshest of race environments by offering new levels of speed and stability to inform race-winning strategies.

Blu Wireless works together with its customers to provide 5G mmWave-based design, testing and validation, serving emerging markets in mobility, 5G backhaul, defence and public safety, and smart cities.

Through their collaboration, the two companies said they are targeting new breakthroughs in connectivity performance in the dynamic motorsport environment. Their joint offering will combine Blu Wireless’ mmWave technology with McLaren Applied’s gateway on-car telemetry hardware, with the motorsport technology firm also providing systems architecture, integration and support through its deep knowledge of motorsport requirements.

The service includes McLaren Applied’s patented software, designed to offer stable connectivity for vehicles and transportation moving at high speed. The software aggregates data across multiple networks and is a key enabler in the application of the mmWave technology for multi-gigabit connectivity across all race car platforms.

The firms noted that their technology has been successfully tested over the past 12 months across multiple tests in the UK and North America, including demonstrating multiple HD video links on race cars travelling at speeds above 165mph. McLaren Applied’s design and systems engineering team is currently preparing the system for imminent deployment in racing.

Commenting on the partnership and its ambitions, Sam Guest, head of motorsport telemetry, control and analytics at McLaren Applied, said: “McLaren Applied leverages its 30-plus-year heritage in motorsport to enable a more intelligent and connected approach for a wide-range of moving vehicles. We expect this new technology to deliver an even more engaging race experience for motorsports fans, with the potential to incorporate live gaming and other forms of interaction.”

“We are excited to apply our cutting edge mmWave technology to the challenging world of motorsports,” added Blu Wireless chief commercial officer Mark Barrett. “The application we’ve developed with our partner McLaren Applied is a perfect fit for the types of environments and high speeds within which the race cars are performing. Our robust, gigabit connectivity and tailored system is certain to deliver real-time, almost life-like experience and will enhance the nail-biting excitement of motorsport for viewers.”