Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is accelerating access to critical data for Jaguar’s Formula E racing team.

The company is driving cloud-based digital transformation for Jaguar TCS Racing, delivering time and data insights for fine-tuning the setup of Jaguar I-Type 6 Formula E cars.

The cloud-based platform adds to the racing team’s existing data analytics and software. It speeds up the flow of data from the racetrack to the racing team base, and vice versa. This helps Jaguar unlock the potential of digital-twin technology, as well as other performance insights.

The cloud platform, which runs on Amazon Web Services (AWS), accelerates Jaguar’s critical data analytics. To test and optimise the car’s setup and race strategy, Jaguar needs timely access to data, much of which is then tested using digital-twin technology. During a race weekend, the team collects approximately 3Tbyte of data. Analysis of these data informs the car’s setup, which includes the powertrain, suspension package, energy usage strategy and software.

“An increasing number of companies are investing in a long-term cloud strategy to gain a competitive advantage and Jaguar TCS Racing is no exception,” said Varun Kapur, vice president at TCS. “Formula E races are often won or lost by fractions of a second. Our cloud technology empowers Jaguar TCS Racing to make time-critical, data-driven decisions that optimise the performance of the Jaguar I-Type 6.”

James Barclay, team principal of Jaguar TCS Racing, added: “Cloud computing enables our team to drive operational efficiency when developing tools for deployment across racing activity. Race events require an increase in available compute power as our systems and engineers actively work to manage and analyse the influx of data being generated on track. The compressed nature of Formula E’s weekend format means that access to data is time critical, to provide insights on performance between sessions where available time can be just 45 minutes.”

Formula E is a real-world testbed for technology. Today, TCS uses technology to help Jaguar win races and transfers those learnings from the racetrack to the road. Findings on-track have already enabled Jaguar Land Rover, using TCS software, to give a 20km range increase to the Jaguar I-Pace electric vehicle, a direct impact of torque management lessons on the racetrack, improving the performance of road cars and the experience for everyday drivers around the world.

Beyond the racetrack, cloud computing can enhance the rapidly growing number of connected, autonomous, shared and electrified vehicles. Harnessing the power of cloud computing can accelerate the delivery of real-time vehicle feedback, diagnostics and performance gains across the vehicle ecosystem. Improvements such as the ability to communicate instantly what’s around the bend to other cars and dynamic route-mapping can improve passenger and pedestrian safety and experience as well as vehicle performance.

Digital twins – digital counterparts of physical products – are fundamental for race preparation and strategy in the Jaguar racing programme. They allow the racing team to iterate designs or processes without the constraints of often more expensive and time-consuming physical deployment and, in certain cases, run these iterations in parallel. Their importance only grows, especially as digital technology and championship regulations evolve in the new era of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, making the engineering challenge even more complex. Digital transformation through cloud technology can improve speed of access to time critical data and should help Jaguar realise the full benefits of digital-twin technology.