GPS rally coverage [Archive] - Motorsport Forums

13th February 2010, 10:48

I was wondering why the don't publish the GPS data of each car live.
I followed the 2007 Troodos rally like this and it was great. They published the GPS data for every car in google earth and you could followed it live! That was great. I think it is very easy to implement as the teams and WRC radio does have accept to these data, so why dont we?

Simmi

13th February 2010, 13:11

Good question.

I'm pretty sure all the teams have it anyway. It should be incorporated with live online feeds and splits to make the ultimate online rally experience. This is what I want to see happen but I'm sure North One probably have other ideas. Let's face it as rally fans we have been getting shafted for years.

Steve Boyd

14th February 2010, 16:40

Most systems need good mobile phone coverage - the GPS tracking devices send their position data back to the monitoring centre over the mobile phone network. This means that it isn't going to happen on UK forest rallies as the mobile coverage is abysmal in most of the forests & who wants to track compeitiors only on road sections. The WRC have got around this by relaying tracking data through an aircraft circling over the live stages, but apart from the WRC who can afford a relay plane?

15th February 2010, 08:34

I remember following the Troodos Rally with this GPS coverage, it was great to see in real time where they are. We had a laptop with 2G/3G internet and could see the cars and plan our stages. :)

Also, I could see them doing 150kph on the motorway where 100kph is allowed :)

I don't understand why the same system isn't used for WRC.

PLuto

15th February 2010, 12:51

About GPS - on WRC event it works, each team in service area can watch the cars on monitor. Why they dont put it for "everybody"? Maybe they are afraid that too many connections from internet can make problem for server. And we must say that this GPS coverage is mainly for dispatching to check cars due to safety. In czech championship we do it on two servers - one is only for safety reasons at dispatching and second one (with not so detail informations and slower refresh) is for public - http://www.rallyzive.cz