F1 News: Mercedes Teams Up With Luminar For Cutting-Edge Formula One Safety Car Tech

Mercedes will collaborate with Luminar to include a laser detection system on the AMG GT Black Series safety car.

Mercedes is considering a LiDAR system on its AMG GT Black Series F1 Safety Car by collaborating with Luminar- a company that deals with automotive technology. If the system fulfills the expectations of the FIA, it will be introduced during the Grand Prix weekends to send additional track information back to race control. 

The technology, which utilizes lasers to scan the vehicle's surroundings within a range of 500 meters, is currently employed in road cars produced by Volvo, Nissan, and Mercedes. Its purpose is to assist in detecting objects ahead, particularly in adverse weather conditions that affect visibility.

For use in Formula 1, Mercedes asserts that the sensor will generate a live 3D map of the environment in front of the safety car, significantly improving the driver's capacity to evaluate the track situation while maintaining the necessary high speeds. 

Luminar affirms the LiDAR system's capacity to detect debris up to 250 meters ahead and identify objects at distances of up to 500 meters. Should the FIA deem the technology beneficial for Grand Prix weekends, it will be seamlessly integrated into the roofline of the Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series, serving as the safety car.

Luminar founder and CEO Austin Russell states that his team brings the leading technology from high-speed highways, like the Autobahn, to the Formula 1 circuit. He said:

“Luminar's technology has always been about pushing the limits of performance while improving automotive safety.

“And with F1, Mercedes-AMG are taking it to the extreme on a world stage of automotive enthusiasts.

“The same leading technology developed in partnership with Mercedes-Benz for their production cars will be shared with the Mercedes F1 team, demonstrating performance and safety advantages at any speed from the city, to the autobahn, to the track.“

Speaking on the collaboration with Luminar, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said:

“I have been thoroughly impressed by their journey so far, their technology and the work they have done.

“It is a truly thrilling and innovative area which will have far-reaching implications for the automotive industry and mobility more generally.

“Our collaboration will utilise the initial development work between Luminar and Mercedes-Benz as a bedrock, and I am excited to see how we can build on that.

“Luminar's culture of innovation and entrepreneurship also fits incredibly well with our own ethos and values, so this is a natural collaboration.“