RIYADH: Advanced technology and artificial intelligence were being used to drive Formula E track success for the Jaguar Racing team, the regional head of its IT partner firm revealed ahead of the weekend’s Diriyah E-Prix.
Jaguar’s link-up with Tata Consultancy Services over the last three seasons of the all-electric car championship series has been defined by the incorporation of the latest tech and AI into motorsport, TCS’ Middle East and Africa president and regional CEO, Sumanta Roy, told Arab News.
Speaking ahead of rounds two and three of the 2024 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship event taking place on Friday and Saturday at the Diriyah Street Circuit outside of Riyadh, he highlighted how technology could be harnessed to help bring victory on the racetrack.
Roy said: “A couple of seasons back in the Sao Paulo race, one of our drivers, Mitch Evans, came in last during the qualification round. We captured all the data, all the inputs that were coming in, and sent it back via cloud, secure, to the racing technologies.
“They changed their entire strategy — which actually won the race the next day — over 24 hours.”
He noted that in preparing drivers for competition, Tata and Jaguar had leveraged the use of AI such as digital twin-technology, which can create a car simulator to mimic the track experience, saving testing time.
“Our drivers, for example, somebody who is practicing, cannot practice from Rome to Diriyah,” Roy added.
The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship is in its 10th season and will feature 17 rounds in 11 cities.
Roy pointed out that to ensure preparation for each round, the car simulator enabled drivers to figure out their hand latch on the steering wheel, learn about the track and road conditions, wind strength, and more.
“The results are remarkable. We couldn’t think of any way of doing it other than incorporating AI,” he said.
Roy also noted that TCS now employed more than 2,000 people in Saudi Arabia, 700 of them women.
“In Saudi Arabia, we are doing very well. It’s one of the largest setups of Saudi ladies in the private sector in the country,” he added.
