COMPUTER JUDGING For D1 Grand Prix (DriftBox)

[Julian Thomas]

Racelogic have developed an electronic system based on GPS which measures the Drift Angle, Speed and G force. It is going to be used in the Japanese D1 Grand Prix series this year to help the judges by giving a score (per corner/sector) for a particular run.

A radio telemetry link will connect each competing vehicle to the Judges' laptop, and they will get an instant score whenever a competitor passes through various sector points around the course.

Being a keen fan of Drifting myself, I saw a need to bring in some kind of automated scoring system, as the standard gets higher, and the margin between top drivers narrows. Of course it does not replace the judges, Drifting is not just about angles and speed, there is a lot more to it than that.

The score will be based on the average drift angle, the average speed and the average lateral G force experienced during a particular corner/sector. (The reasoning behind including the lateral G force was to encourage good handling and decent tyres).

There is some information about the unit on : www.driftbox.com

It has already been run in a number of events, but just as a data gathering excersise. It is scheduled to run at Irwindale in February.

I am interested in any feedback on this subject!

[D1 DRIFTER]

hmmm..

i like the idea!! its evens out the playing field alot more and now people can't say that D1 is rigged and what not i think it should be used in all drifting events and they should come up with a way to maybe be able to have a way that the audiance(sp) can see what the comp scores it(maybe a big screen TV or sumthing)??? so that the audience in a way is envloved too!

[ALI]

Re: Computer judges Drifting in Japanese D1 Grand Prix

Originally posted by Julian Thomas
Racelogic have developed an electronic system based on GPS which measures the Drift Angle, Speed and G force. It is going to be used in the Japanese D1 Grand Prix series this year to help the judges by giving a score (per corner/sector) for a particular run.

A radio telemetry link will connect each competing vehicle to the Judges' laptop, and they will get an instant score whenever a competitor passes through various sector points around the course.

Being a keen fan of Drifting myself, I saw a need to bring in some kind of automated scoring system, as the standard gets higher, and the margin between top drivers narrows. Of course it does not replace the judges, Drifting is not just about angles and speed, there is a lot more to it than that.

The score will be based on the average drift angle, the average speed and the average lateral G force experienced during a particular corner/sector. (The reasoning behind including the lateral G force was to encourage good handling and decent tyres).

There is some information about the unit on : www.driftbox.com

It has already been run in a number of events, but just as a data gathering excersise. It is scheduled to run at Irwindale in February.

I am interested in any feedback on this subject!

Awsome, simply awsome! I knew it would just be a matter of time before data acquisition was brought into Drifting. One of my favorite sayings is "The proof is in the pudding".... numbers don't lie and I think this is a great idea with tremendous potential for setting the standard on competition judging. Keep us posted on updates!

[INFO]

A Drift Angle Measuring Device was tested in JDM Option Vol. 6.

[Julian Thomas]

The Device featured in Option magazine was an early development of the DriftBox. We have added a radio link, and automated scoring since then.

[ALI]

Julian, I'm not sure if you are a representative for Racelogic, but I just sent you guys an email. Hope to hear back from you all soon!

[ALI]

Originally posted by ALI
Julian, I'm not sure if you are a representative for Racelogic, but I just sent you guys an email. Hope to hear back from you all soon!

Haha...nevermind, just got your reply, your fast!!! Many thanks...

[AlexPfeiffer]

YOu guys need to think about this. Drifting isnt about racing sideways.

By adding sensors to your car that the judges can look at, then you may as well time the speed of your run and turn it into an average score. What that will do is eliminate the judges all together so there is no style involed. Once you take away the style, drifting will turn into dirt track racing where all your doing is racing sideways and everyone has the same car. Then we will just be another racing series.

Drifting is cool because it is based off of your style. The fastest guy or the most sideways guy doesnt always win. Its who can use their car the best and put on the best overall impact or performance for the fans as well as the judges.

[Julian Thomas]

Alex

I agree, you cannot replace the judge with a computer, this won't ever happen. There is no way of measuring style electronically! The idea behind the DriftBox is to give the judges more accurate information to go on. Radar guns have been used on a number of events both in the US and Japan to help the judges, I see this is an extension of that idea.

By the way, I believe you have come across an early version of the DriftBox when you where in a magazine competition driving some cars around a skid pan sideways. I think it was Automobile Magazine or similar.

[BooZTT]

I completely agree with Alex on this..when I saw the thread I already new what it was going to be about having seen option and they're plans. I think it's retarded...Ask yourself why you like this driver or that driver..is it because a computer says he gets 39.756 degrees of angle at 67kph? No..obviously it's not, you like them because of they're style or their car or themselves. This takes too much of the fun OUT of drifting and loses the personality the cars and drivers bring to the table. I give it two thumbs down...but a pinky up for innovation.

[Hubert Young]

Originally posted by AlexPfeiffer
YOu guys need to think about this. Drifting isnt about racing sideways.

By adding sensors to your car that the judges can look at, then you may as well time the speed of your run and turn it into an average score. What that will do is eliminate the judges all together so there is no style involed. Once you take away the style, drifting will turn into dirt track racing where all your doing is racing sideways and everyone has the same car. Then we will just be another racing series.

Drifting is cool because it is based off of your style. The fastest guy or the most sideways guy doesnt always win. Its who can use their car the best and put on the best overall impact or performance for the fans as well as the judges.

Agree! Style and impact is what drifting is all about. The speed radar gun should be the furthest extent that an electronic device should be used in judging.

[Julian Thomas]

Drifting is all about style, but what one judge may call style compared with a judge in a different country calls style may well differ.

I think this will greatly hamper the unification of Drifting, and to make Drifting as big as it should be, you need to be able to have US vs Japan vs Europe competitions. For this to happen, you need continuity. The DriftBox may well help in keeping them singing from the same songsheet, and anyway, the judge can decide to ignore the computer if he sees something spectacular, that's his perogative!

Also consider the number of small drift teams spread out all across the world, how useful and encouraging would it be to compare themselves against the best of the best? Their mates might think they look cool, but here's a sure way of seeing just how difficult it is to maintain those kinds of angles and speeds that the pro drivers achieve, and also gives them a reference to improve on.

[AlexPfeiffer]

Julian Thomas
Yes i was one of the drivers in the automobile mag that ran the box. The difference is we all used the same cars with the box attached.

All the cars have different suspension design and drift differently, we have a larger amount of different cars that enter drifting then in motorsports. Some platforms will be better suited for running concistantly higher angles then others. So what happens now is teams will take that into effect and run on those platforms. I would much rather see a diverse lineup then 40 teams with the same cars.

The speed gun that they use is more to give the crowd an actual number to the speed they are hitting. That is something that everyone that drives can referance to. You know what its like to be going 80mph on the freeway, but then now they can imagine going that fast but doing it sideways.

[AlexPfeiffer]

Originally posted by Julian Thomas
Drifting is all about style, but what one judge may call style compared with a judge in a different country calls style may well differ.

I think this will greatly hamper the unification of Drifting, and to make Drifting as big as it should be, you need to be able to have US vs Japan vs Europe competitions. For this to happen, you need continuity. The DriftBox may well help in keeping them singing from the same songsheet, and anyway, the judge can decide to ignore the computer if he sees something spectacular, that's his perogative!

Also consider the number of small drift teams spread out all across the world, how useful and encouraging would it be to compare themselves against the best of the best? Their mates might think they look cool, but here's a sure way of seeing just how difficult it is to maintain those kinds of angles and speeds that the pro drivers achieve, and also gives them a reference to improve on.

I really dont see why we have to unify anything. Yes, drivers and judges will differ, but so what. Thats style. The different events have style. The different promoters have style, the judges have style. Your not cool without style and without style, its just a sideways race.

And id like to add, as of right now, how many teams do you think could afford to or are at the level to compete internationaly? Maybe in future it can happen but as of right now, teams still dont have the budgets to compete in their own countrys.

[LOVMUFN]

Kinda funny, kinda cool, kinda dumb... all at the same time. I think it would be a cool toy/tool to fine tune a car to get MAX angle... but still if it doesn't feel right but gets the max angle and makes it less fun, who gives a poo. I would rather be a middle of the pack guy having fun than a every time out winner that is all about analyizing a "Drift angle chart." Don't get me worng, hard work is important but that kinda takes it over the edge. Plus what happens if it goes down for a competetors run. That would be truely retarded to have to run again because the GPS became un-calibrated exactly and they have to make a guy do another run because the little black driftbox was not tuned right. It also adds a lot of set up time for cars in the grid, unless you have like 50 boxes.

Ann Frank, quick to the attic! The soldiers are comming.