Germany’s Nurburgring, one of the world’s most challenging and treacherous race tracks, is set to undergo a major digital upgrade.
A total of €11m is being invested by the Nurburgring operating company to improve vehicle safety and bring the track “into the future”.
The new infrastructure, set to be operational by 2025, will use camera technology and artificial intelligence (AI) to monitor the entire 13-mile (21km) track.
Construction for the upgrade will begin this winter, and it is one of the most comprehensive construction projects in the almost 100-year history of the Nurburgring.
Over the next two years, a completely new infrastructure will be built around the race track, including foundations for storm-proof masts to carry special HD cameras, earthworks for laying fibre optic and power cables, and off-grid systems for power supply. LED panels for digital warning signals will also be installed.
The AI-based system will be able to detect hazards, accidents, and other unscheduled events on the track, and support the operations control team in taking immediate action. In the future, it will automatically warn following traffic of dangerous situations via the LED panels.
In addition to the standard procedure of radio messages by the marshals, all images and information will be transmitted directly to the operations control centre through fibre optic cables, allowing staff to decide on further measures in a matter of seconds.
The AI will be continuously refined and adapted to the track during live operation.
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