What will Formula 1 cars look like in the future? Motor powered by solar energy, active aerodynamics and “telepathic” driving are some of the new features.
The futuristic concept was in charge of McLaren Applied Technologies, a subsidiary of McLaren, and suggests a total revolution in the premier category of world motorsport. A proposal that stands out for its aerodynamic design (we'll be here…), closed cockpit – which increases safety levels – and for the coating of the wheels. It's a case of saying that the McLaren MP4-X “doesn't walk, it slides…”
For John Allert, brand director of McLaren Technology Group, this is a car that combines the main ingredients of Formula 1 – speed, enthusiasm and performance – with new trends in motorsport, such as the closed cockpit and hybrid technologies.
The brand guarantees that all the MP4-X technology presented is legitimate and workable, although some components are still in the embryonic stage of development.
Rather than concentrating all the energy in one area, McLaren suggests that the vehicle will have several (rather narrow) batteries distributed throughout the vehicle structure. The power of the MP4-X was not specified.
Aerodynamics was another of McLaren's main focus, and proof of this is the “active aerodynamics” system that electronically controls the bodywork. The benefits of this technology are great; for example, it is possible to concentrate the descending forces in the tightest corners and deflect those same forces in the straights, in order to optimize the performances.
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The McLaren MP4-X is also proposed with an internal diagnostic system, which allows the structural condition of the car to be monitored in the event of an error or accident, and sensors that will allow the assessment of the state of tire wear.
But one of the biggest innovations is even a system that will remove all of the car's controls, including the steering wheel, brakes and accelerator. Like? Through a set of holographic elements controlled by electrical impulses from the pilot's brain, while monitoring his vital signs.
Despite being an extremely ambitious proposition, the MP4-X is, in McLaren's view, the Formula 1 car of the future. The data is released, so we can only wait for more news from the British brand.
