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BMW SIM Live: technology transfer between real and virtual racing.

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BMW SIM Live: technology transfer between real and virtual racing.

Munich. As part of its digital BMW SIM Live event, BMW Motorsport SIM Racing is presenting three spectacular world premieres that take the technology transfer between real and virtual racing to a completely new level. The BMW M4 GT3, which will be the new flagship of BMW M Customer Racing racing vehicles from 2022, celebrated its debut on the sim racing platform iRacing as a prototype even before the first real racing event. The steering wheel of the BMW M4 GT3 was developed in cooperation with Fanatec and is the first of its kind that works in both the racing car and the simulator. The third world novelty is the concept study of the Sim Lounge furniture “Fusion SL”, which can be transformed from the design table into a full-fledged racing simulator in just a few simple steps. With these developments, BMW Motorsport is underlining its claim not only to use the event character of sim racing, but also to actively advance the industry through innovations, for example in hardware, as part of a holistic commitment.

BMW Motorsport SIM Racing

BMW SIM Live: technology transfer between real and virtual racing.

"With BMW Motorsport SIM Racing, we are pursuing a 360-degree approach. That means we have the big picture in mind“, Says Rudolf Dittrich, Head of BMW Motorsport SIM Racing. "We achieved a great deal in the first year of our commitment. At the same time, however, we have recognized great potential and decided to continue to focus strongly on hardware developments in 2021, with which we can drive technological innovations and open up new product categories and markets. With this orientation, we position ourselves in the environment of our competitors in a completely unique way. We really enjoy working out creative solutions and seeing quick results with our process partners, with whom we are developing current and future world premieres. "

BMW M4 GT3 steering wheel for the first time for racing vehicle and simulator.

BMW SIM Live: technology transfer between real and virtual racing.

In cooperation with the sim racing hardware manufacturer Fanatec, BMW Motorsport has developed a steering wheel for the BMW M4 GT3 that can be used in the racing car and the racing simulator at the same time - a technology transfer that has never been seen before in racing . In fact, no modifications are necessary for use in the racing vehicle. The steering wheel is a motorsport construction made of carbon with illuminated buttons and magnetic dual-action shift paddles made of carbon. At BMW SIM Live, BMW works driver Philipp Eng (AUT) impressively demonstrated that the hybrid steering wheel fulfills both tasks perfectly. He first drove onto the stage in the real BMW M4 GT3, got out, took the steering wheel with him, attached it to the simulator and used it to do his laps in the virtual equivalent of the vehicle. The BMW Motorsport engineers permanently check the durability of the steering wheel in real racing as part of extensive test drives. It will be available from Fanatec in the first half of 2021.

BMW SIM Live: technology transfer between real and virtual racing.

"When I first heard about the idea of ​​designing the BMW M4 GT3 steering wheel for the simulator at the same time, I was amazed - because I was enthusiastic about it from the start“Says Eng. "One can only salute the pioneering role that BMW Motorsport and Fanatec are playing together here, and the courage to even implement such a project. I know both the people from BMW Motorsport and Fanatec who were involved in the development and I never had a doubt that they would make a great steering wheel. Compared to the steering wheel of the BMW M6 GT3, for example, the new one has extremely good ergonomics, so it is very comfortable to hold. You can tell that full professionals were at work here in all areas."

The BMW M4 GT3 as a prototype on iRacing.

BMW SIM Live: technology transfer between real and virtual racing.

As with the BMW M8 GTE and BMW M4 GT4, BMW Motorsport has worked very closely with the popular sim racing platform iRacing over the past few months in order to integrate the BMW M4 GT3 into the simulation as faithfully as possible. What is new this time is that the vehicle will still be implemented as a test vehicle in iRacing during its development phase, so that the sim racers can follow the development together with BMW Motorsport and drive it forward to the final version, which will then be used both on iRacing and the real racing customers will be available. In parallel to the development of the real vehicle, the BMW Motorsport engineers provided their colleagues at iRacing with CAD data and photos as reference so that they can use this as a basis to program and design the virtual BMW M2021 GT4. IRacing received all information on the driving dynamics of the BMW M3 GT4 in another data package. BMW Motorsport engineers use the same data set to run the BMW Motorsport Simulator, for example. In total, over 3 GB of data has already been exchanged. The common goal: to get as close as possible to the real driving dynamics.

BMW SIM Live: technology transfer between real and virtual racing.

Philipp Eng saw for himself how well this worked during his first laps of the simulator with the virtual BMW M4 GT3 as part of the BMW SIM Live. "I think it's extremely cool that the BMW M4 GT3 is being introduced on iRacing in parallel to its real development, because I'm not just a thoroughbred racing driver, but also a thoroughbred Sim racer" says Eng, who, as alpha tester for iRacing, will help to compare the driving behavior of the BMW M4 GT3 with reality as precisely as possible. “IRacing does a fabulous job in terms of realism. Just a few years ago, it was unthinkable for me that something like this was even possible. iRacing is on an incredibly high level in the collaboration with BMW Motorsport. I'm really excited to see how good the digital BMW M4 GT3 will be in the end."

BMW Motorsport, BMW Designworks and Sedus combine functionality and home design with “Fusion SL” concept furniture.

Sim racing is becoming more and more popular worldwide, and the number of users who also set up fully equipped rigs at home is increasing accordingly. At BMW Motorsport, the question arose as to how these rigs could be integrated into everyday living, and the solution was found together with BMW Designworks and the office furniture manufacturer Sedus. The concept study is called "Fusion SL", a unique combination of sim racing rig and lounge furniture. The idea was to develop a piece of furniture in order to save space and aesthetically integrate it into a modern living environment that can be expanded into a rig in a few simple steps, but which, when folded, could serve as a work, coffee table or seat, for example "And" Ease "not only in the vehicle, but also in the living room.

BMW SIM Live: technology transfer between real and virtual racing.

For the implementation, the engineering work of BMW Motorsport, the design expertise of Michael Scully and his BMW Designworks team and the production work of Sedus, one of the leading full-range suppliers of office furnishings and workplace concepts, were combined. "The 'Fusion SL' concept combines the best of both worlds," says Scully. “It's not necessarily intended to replace the high-end sim rigs used by the pros. Rather, our aim was to make sim racing and the hardware it requires for new target groups - and to be honest, their roommates too. The balance between the necessary stability, portability, a flat profile, torsional stiffness and an optical impression that helps the piece of furniture from the basement into the living room contains many contradictions. But overcoming them - that's what design is all about. ”Ernst Holzapfel, Head of Marketing at Sedus Stoll AG, adds:“ The 'Fusion SL' Concept is the perfect home office for Sim racers. The Wooom Chair is his perfect partner. For a moment you can still relax in it, and just a few movements later, with its sporty seating position and good lateral support thanks to its upholstery, it offers everything you would expect from a good racing seat. "

BMW SIM Live: technology transfer between real and virtual racing.

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About Thomas Wachsmuth

Thomas Wachsmuth - He has been an integral part of tuningblog.eu since 2013. His passion for cars is so intense that he invests every available penny in them. While he dreams of a BMW E31 850CSI and a Hennessey 6x6 Ford F-150, he currently drives a rather inconspicuous BMW 540i (G31/LCI). His collection of books, magazines and brochures on the subject of car tuning has now reached such proportions that he himself has become a walking reference work for the tuning scene.  More about Thomas

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