Personal Project Initial Pitch

Racing line calculator/display

Definition Statement / Whats the problem

Beginner and intermediate racing drivers often struggle to learn effective driving lines for their specific cars because most learning occurs on real racetracks, where practice is expensive, time-limited, and sometimes risky.

Audience

The main intended audience for this project is to beginner and intermediate drivers who may:
– Do not have professional coaching
– Cannot afford frequent track days/Don’t have time
– Interested to improve their racing in different tracks

Idea list(Multiple different solutions)

1. Racing Plugin/Mod
2. Race Analyzer(Review not live)
3. Racing Line Calculator/Display

Racing Plugin/Mod

This idea was to create a plugin on an existing racing simulator that is able to support the driver while driving. It may create visual to indicate acceleration/decceleration points and also a racing line that will change live depending on the car’s current scenario.

Race Analyzer

The idea of the race analyzer is to make drivers able to visually see their race line/mistake and what could have been done better.

Racing Line calculator/Display

The idea was to create a software that can generate a 2d visual of a racing line on a designated track. The difference of this software and others is that this calculator created the most optimal line using data provided by the audience instead of the “perfect” line.

Chosen Idea – Racing Line Calculator/Display

The prototype will consist of a simplified but fully functional two dimensional racing line simulation software displayed from a bird’s eye perspective. The track layout will be clearly illustrated, and a moving point will represent the vehicle as it progresses through a full lap. Sections of the racing line will be colour coded to indicate vehicle behaviour(accelerate/brake), with green representing acceleration zones and red representing braking zones. This visual is intended to make changes in speed and driving strategy immediately understandable to the audience of this project. The prototype will include preset vehicles or an audience input bar to create/illustrate their vehicle by inputting basic data of their car, such as power, max speed, largest turn angle, and several others that may be required. The prototype will also include presets of tracks. The audience will be able to compare how different vehicles generate different braking points, apex positions, and cornering strategies on the same circuit.

A key feature of the prototype will be its interactive/educating component. The audience will be able to click on specific sections of the racing line/output, prompting a detailed explanation the reasoning behind the racing line in the section. For example, the system may explain why a late apex is selected to prioritize exit speed, why an earlier braking point is required for a higher powered vehicle, or how a lower powered car may carry more speed through a corner. This interactive element ensures that the prototype functions not only as a simulation tool but also as an educational platform that communicates the reasoning behind racing line decisions.