We will get a glimpse of the future of technology at the weekend when the ADAC GT Masters season opens at the Lausitzring (31st July to 2nd August). For the first time, KÜS Team75 Bernhard will operate a Porsche 911 GT3 equipped with Space Drive steer-by-wire technology from Schaeffler Paravan on behalf of Schaeffler Technologie GmbH & Co KG R. With Space Drive technology, there is no mechanical link between steering wheel and steering rack, which is a basic requirement for future technologies such as autonomous driving or for new interior designs. Space Drive Racing is a development platform set up by Schaeffler Paravan in collaboration with various teams for steer-by-wire racing cars made by various manufacturers.
Norbert Siedler (37, AUT) is a veteran ADAC GT Masters driver and winner of many races in the series. He will drive the Porsche 'by wire' at the Lausitzring alongside Martin Ragginger (32, AUT). As guest starters, the two Austrians will not be eligible to earn points or prize money for the test outings. SPORT1 will broadcast the two ADAC GT Masters races live and in full at 1.00 pm on Saturday and Sunday. Racing can also be watched online as livestream at sport1.de, adac.de/motorsport and youtube.com/adac.
The outfit managed by two-time Le Mans winner and FIA endurance racing world champion, Timo Bernhard, is a partner in the innovative project. The Porsche without a steering column will race alongside two more conventional vehicles prepared by the German team. The purpose of the mission is to demonstrate the technical capabilities, robustness and full functionality of Space Drive technology under extreme conditions in the ADAC GT Masters. "We are working closely with Schaeffler Paravan on this exciting development project. Thanks to our many years of experience in the ADAC GT Masters, we can offer the support needed to deploy steer-by-wire technology in one of the world's toughest GT3 racing series," said Klaus Graf, Team Principal at KÜS Team75 Bernhard. "Testing technological advances in competition to ensure that they are totally reliable is an important part of development work. With Martin Ragginger and Norbert Siedler, we have managed to acquire the services of two very experienced GT drivers for the project."
Roland Arnold, CEO of Schaeffler Paravan Technology GmbH & Co KG told us: "We aim to get a comprehensive picture of how the system performs and of its robustness. The ADAC GT Masters is probably the most competitive GT3 series in existence and makes an ideal test bed for Space Drive steer-by-wire technology. Knowledge gained from the races and the data obtained will flow directly into the system's further development. It is already benefitting users of Space Drive 2 today, both in the automotive industry and in the area of mobility for the disabled."
Space Drive technology has been approved for use in the ADAC GT Masters by the German Motor Sport Federation (DMSB).