Chevy has announced a new Performance Data Recorder for the 2015 Corvette Stingray.
This industry-first technology will be fully-integrated into the vehicle and is similar to what is used by Corvette Racing. It will provide high-definition video with telemetry overlays of a driver’s performance both on the road and on the track.
The telemetry overlay will have four different modes, each providing a different set of data tailored to a different drive. Track Mode will provide the highest level of information including speed, rpm, and g-force while Sport Mode removes some of the details.
Touring Mode will just record and display the video without any overlay details. Lastly, there’s Performance Mode which focuses on performance metrics like 0-60, 1/4 mile, and 0-100-0 times.
The Performance Data Recorder (PDR) was developed by British motorsports-engineering company Cosworth. These are the same people responsible for providing data acquisition and telemetry electronics for the Corvette Racing team.
The idea is to give owners of the Corvette Stingray that same kind of data, allowing them to improve lap times by giving them new insight into exactly how they’re driving.
The PDR will have three major components beginning with a 720p high definition camera that will be mounted in the windshield’s header trim. This will record the driver’s point-of-view while a microphone in the cabin catches audio.
The second part of the system is a telemetry recorder with a dedicated GPS operating at 5 hertz per second which is 5 times faster than standard in-dash navigation systems. This will provide much more precise information on positioning and corner traces.
The recorder is hardwired into the Corvette Stingray’s Controller Area Network (CAN) so it can access all sorts of vehicle information. This includes everything from engine speed and transmission gear-selection to breaking force and steering wheel-angle.
The final component of the system is a dedicated SD-card slot in the glove box for recording and transferring all the data collected. Depending on the size of the SD-card, owners could record anywhere from 200-800 minutes of driving.
They will then be able to view the data right on the vehicle’s 8″ touchscreen or download to their computers. They’ll also be able to utilize the Cosworth Toolbox application for even more in-depth analysis of the data.
The system will be available late in the third quarter of 2014 in time for regular production of the 2015 Corvette Stingray with pricing still to be announced.
Here’s the PDR system in action…
http://youtu.be/TGu3QKACZEA
And our 0-60 test of the 2014 Corvette Stingray…
Nicole Wakelin fell in love with cars as a teenager when she got to go for a ride in a Ferrari. It was red and it was fast and that was all that mattered. Game over. She considers things a bit more carefully now, but still has a weakness for fast, beautiful cars. Nicole also writes for NerdApproved and GeekMom.
