Car Telemetry

Introduction
For the car telemetry We'll be using a Raspberry Pi computer to collect the data in real-time to send back to the pits over Wi-Fi.

Possible problems
Since we may be sharing the same frequency with other teams, we must ensure our signal isn't disrupted and that we have as much information as possible for as long as the connection distance will allow. To do this we plan to use antennas mounted to the car, as well as using a powerful reciever to repeat the data to team member's devices.

What data are we collecting?
The Raspberry Pi computer will be collecting data such as the motor temperatures, battery life, computer temperature and battery usage to calculate the efficiency of the car in real-time.

Why collect temperature data?
The hotter a motor gets, is the slower it will run, because the magnetic field that drives the motor is weakened by heat. This means that our motor would essentially be wasting power by running too hot. We are aiming for a running temperature of around 50-55 degrees, or even lower if our cooling is efficient.

The range
We'll be using WiFi amplifiers to ensure we get the best possible signal. The UK law has a limit on how much amplification we can do, which means the resulting signal strength cannot be greater than 20db/100mW. We have measurement software which we'll be using to ensure we get the best possible signal, while in compliance with the law's limitations.