IMSA launches IMSA Labs at Daytona to turn endurance race data into simulations

DAYTONA BEACH—IMSA has created IMSA Labs to let automakers, tire suppliers and tech firms use the vast data generated during endurance racing to improve simulation tools, the sanctioning body said during the 24-hour race at Daytona International Speedway. IMSA also signed a partnership with NASA to work on "telemetry, diagnostics and sensor methodologies." The move follows growing interest in transferring race-derived technologies to road cars; the article lists historical examples such as seatbelts, rear-view mirrors, turbocharged engines, aerodynamics, direct-injection engines and dual-clutch gearboxes.

IMSA said each of the 11 GTP cars at Daytona collects 1,600 data channels, with nearly as many on the GTD machines, and that 60 cars running for 24 hours generates a large volume of high-quality data to feed simulation development. Teams and suppliers said the GTP class is heavily software driven and allows rapid iteration.

David Salters, president of Honda Racing Corporation USA, said the class' "open software architecture" lets engineers "develop stuff in days and hours," and firms such as Bosch, General Motors and Michelin described how race lessons are fed back into product engineering. IMSA President John Doonan said the aim is for companies to use the IMSA Labs environment "to develop the next version of software" or to validate market products in an extreme, data-rich setting.