Communication in motor racing
From pit radio to data center: communication as the backbone of racing
Long-distance communication has evolved from handwritten letters and the telephone to today's world of video conferencing and messenger apps. And each step has made communication easier and faster. But despite this evolution, communicating over long distances can still be very complex and challenging today.
This is also the case in motor racing: robust back-end communication is required to connect the entire team. During the race, the drivers use their headsets to communicate wirelessly with numerous specialists and technicians at the race track. For those working behind the scenes in design, testing and mechanics, communication can be even more complicated as they rely on real-time data for optimal performance and safety.
Data and information shared within a team in real time can make the difference between winning and losing. Everything can only run smoothly and efficiently if communication is right. At the same time, a breakdown in communication or a problem with routine processes can have drastic consequences for the race result. This became particularly clear in May 2020, when the Management and Logistics team at Toyota Gazoo Racing Europe discovered how disruptive an unexpected global pandemic can be.
Learning the ropes of racing with TPS
It was 1997 when I joined Toyota Production Systems (TPS). A few years later, I started working on the GT-One Le Mans project. When the project was finished, Toyota decided to venture into the racing world of Formula 1. From then on, in the early 2000s, I was responsible for vehicle logistics between events.
Our aim was to speed up car design. Over the years, I learned an enormous amount at Toyota and at TPS. In the end, we managed to reduce the design time from four to two weeks and at the same time better coordinate the overall process with more people involved. The financial crisis in 2008 marked a turning point, as the company left the racing scene and became a profit center. But we still had racing in our blood, so our return was not long in coming.
Since 2012, we have been building better, faster and more powerful cars. Today, as Senior Manager of Team Management and Logistics, I help to ensure robust and focused communication around the race track, especially for the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans.
A disrupted global communications process
Toyota is a multicultural company operating on several continents. One of our most important locations besides Japan is Germany. In Cologne, we design our racing cars with the powertrain system (engine and hybrid system) that comes from the development center in Higashi-Fuji (Japan). Our many engineers, mechanics and technicians in Japan and Germany have to communicate regularly and in real time with their colleagues in the other country. Toyota was therefore prepared for the worst in March 2020, when the world came to a standstill due to coronavirus.
"The pandemic brought complications for many companies. How do you connect people and teams across a globe when travel is impossible?"
As it became clear that more and more countries would close their borders, many people rushed back to their home countries. There were long months of lockdown before the first international races started again, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans. We couldn't wait to get going again, but the pandemic had created a whole new set of problems for major international companies like Toyota. Some of our truly essential staff were unable to leave Japan. So we had to build a new network for our entire racing team that was stable, reliable and secure - in less than four weeks.
We wanted to set up a cross-border network to enable bi-directional data exchange in real time. In addition, our teams would be directly connected via radio and intercom. All team members who are not on site should be able to receive direct feedback from the drivers and engineers at any time, just as if they were sitting at the track. The network connection should be secure to prevent unwanted eavesdroppers, absolutely stable to guarantee constant live data transmission and particularly powerful. All the prerequisites for success had to be met.
So we needed a new communication protocol, and we needed it very quickly. For this, we turned to a provider with the right reputation: RIEDEL Networks.
Innovative communication solutions with RIEDEL Networks
Toyota had already been in contact with RIEDEL Networks several years previously. At the time, the car manufacturer needed a network connection that would cover the entire racetrack and could also be used by other car manufacturers. However, when it became clear that other manufacturers would no longer participate in our racing series, the project was not pursued any further. However, we knew that RIEDEL was a reliable partner and contacted them again. It was to be RIEDEL Networks who would support us in setting up a new network in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
First item on the agenda: designing a network for our global employees. You might think, what's the problem? A connection via the internet and that's it. But it wasn't that simple, because Toyota had and still has high security requirements. Simply adding new devices was therefore not an option.
Then there were the strict security requirements of our own IT department with regard to Internet protocols. And Toyota Motor Corporation's security guidelines required an even higher level of network security: basically no external connections were allowed. So we needed something completely new.
Our second requirement was 24/7 support. Once the new communication system was set up, it needed to be fine-tuned by retrieving data from various devices and services and installing dedicated network programs on special PCs. This had to be done in a similar way to a VPN tunnel, which required extensive back-end work and strong, always available support.
Obviously we had high demands, but RIEDEL was up to the challenge. Their technicians developed a solution in just a few weeks that far exceeded our expectations. RIEDEL was also a reliable partner during the installation phase, providing immediate support for any problems or difficulties we encountered and providing and continuing to provide 24/7 support to our global, multicultural team.
During the preparation for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, RIEDEL took care of the network connections at the race track and coordinated all settings on site in Japan. Once the high-tech equipment had arrived, the team carried out all the necessary tests and fine-tuning. Despite the tight schedule, the entire system worked flawlessly from the start and enabled our drivers and technicians to communicate clearly and easily both on and off the track. In the end, it was a victory for Toyota - not least thanks to us in IT.
The future of RIEDEL and Toyota
The benefits of RIEDEL's network solution cannot be overstated. The technology has now been used in numerous races and has proven its worth. As the global pandemic is still ongoing, we are benefiting from the fact that we can continue to expand or reduce capacity as required. And now the entire Toyota Gazoo team is also prepared for any unexpected events that could affect our employees around the world.
"With data and information available in real time, managers can ensure their team is ready no matter where they are ."
We also use our new network for other purposes, such as communicating with new team members early before an upcoming event to reduce onboarding time. With data and information available in real time, we can make sure our team is ready no matter where they are. The whole process simply gets us on the road faster.
With the right partner in business - and in life - even the biggest obstacles can be overcome. RIEDEL has proven to be the right partner, not only for development, but also for all supporting processes. The peace of mind of having a reliable network and partner is priceless to me. I look forward to working with them on a radio solution for race cars in other competitive areas.
At Toyota Gazoo, we often say to ourselves: "Just never give up." No matter what happens or how difficult it is, we never give up. Miss the 24 Hours of Le Mans? That was never an option, so we found the right partner for the right solution. And after just four very short weeks, it was a reality.
