All the cars that line up to race in this year’s DTM
German Touring Car Masters series will once again have Bosch technology on
board. The Bosch critical parts that go into these cars include engine control
units, displays, starters, generators and a whole range of other components.
Each of these components has been made keeping in mind
the particular demands of motor racing: vibrations, temperature variations,
extreme acceleration and braking, and peak performance over thousands of race
miles every season. They also benefit from the company’s know-how from
large-scale series production. “By applying our automotive development
expertise to the demands of motor racing, we can supply the DTM with components
that are tailored to deliver the highest levels of performance,” explains Dr.
Klaus Böttcher, vice president of Bosch Motorsport, in a company statement..
DTM engine control units differ from those destined for
large-scale series models. They are custom products that have been redeveloped
from scratch. This is evident on the outside from their black,
temperature-resistant housing that also keeps out dust and water. They feature
special plug contacts that ensure optimum electrical conductivity even when
subjected to the extreme vibrations encountered on the race track.
“At the heart of each and every ECU is its engine
management software,” explains Böttcher. This lets teams customize a wide
variety of engine parameters within the ranges permitted by DTM regulations – functions
that cannot be altered in series-production models. These include setting the
injection and ignition points with millisecond precision so as to optimize
engine performance. The necessary computational power is assured by powerful
processors and circuitry housed on printed circuit boards. Other functions
found in series-production ECUs, such as air conditioning and cruise control,
are not needed in a DTM racing car. Another difference between ECUs for the DTM
and for series-production cars is data recording. DTM racing cars save all
relevant engine and chassis data during the race. They are read and analyszed
by the teams when the car is in the pits, providing teams with valuable
information on how to further optimize the vehicle.
Another component that has been specially developed for
motor racing is the DTM racing cars’ display. While the regulations stipulate
that every team must have the same standard display, what each driver sees is
in fact different. Every driver can access up to 12 free programmable page
views during the race to see all the relevant vehicle data. For the display,
too, software is the key: unlike with series-production models, the software
that comes with these units allows teams to customize the information featured
on each display page. All it takes is the push of a button for drivers to
switch between pages on the display in their cockpit.
Bosch Motorsport supplies a wide range of other
components for DTM vehicles, including starters, generators, wiring harnesses,
windshield wiper direct drives, and power boxes. Apart from standard
components, the teams also use Bosch Motorsport sensors, ignition components,
and injection valves. Largely based on series-production technology, these
components are tailored to the rigorous demands of motor racing. “To do this,
we work closely with the Bosch plants’ prototype departments. That way, the
teams can benefit from the know-how of a leading automotive supplier in each
and every component,” says Böttcher. At the same time, findings relating to
motor racing components’ robustness and service life often flow back into
development work for series production. “Knowledge transfer between motor
racing and series production is not a one-way street,” says Böttcher,
describing the collaboration between the company’s development departments.
From the Volkswagen Scirocco R Cup and the Porsche
Carrera Cup Deutschland to the FIA Formula 3 European Championship, all the
support series for the DTM rely on Bosch engine management equipment and a host
of other components the company supplies.
Bosch Motorsport is part of Bosch Engineering GmbH, a
subsidiary specializing in engineering services. The company can look back on a
long tradition of involvement in motor racing, with Bosch technology having
made its successful debut in racing cars in 1901.
Source: Bosch /
Picture courtesy: Audi