For over three decades Active Sensors have designed, manufactured and set new standards in high-performance motorsport sensor solutions for the world’s most prestigious racing series.
Our team of engineers are dedicated to developing and pioneering new measurement technology in displacement, speed and acceleration to deliver quantifiable performance advantage for teams. Motorsport is our passion!
All our sensor products are FIAHomologated by the FIA for use in Formula One electronic control and measurement systems.
A racecars throttle position sensor (TPS) is used to monitor the position of the throttle valve and is mounted on the throttle body. It converts valve position into a proportional voltage signal which is fed to the engine control unit (ECU). The sensor signal is used by the ECU to control the ignition and fuel injection timing.
Racecar handling depends on the balanced set up of the suspension. Whether the vehicle has the traditional four springs and four dampers arrangement, mono-shocks or electronically adjustable hydraulic actuators, which are used in active suspension systems, race engineers need to measure precise suspension movement.
Virtually every racecar uses a sequential shift rather than the ‘H’ pattern gearbox. The reason being that sequential shift is quicker and more consistent. The selector drum is rotated manually or by an electro-hydraulic actuator. In the electro-hydraulic case, the driver operates the gearshift from the steering wheel by depressing gear change buttons.
Most high performance racing car clutches are automatically operated during gear changes but are manually operated by the driver from the steering wheel when moving from a standstill at race starts and pit stops. During a race the driver executes gear changes by pushing a button on the steering wheel.
Some of the hardest working parts on a racecar are the brakes. Formula One and Endurance racing can experience high brake disc wear and race engineers need to monitor this wear by mounting a miniature linear position sensor in the brake caliper. The sensor specified in this application is the high performance contactless LVDT.
Clutch operation by the driver is made via paddles behind the wheel which contain miniature position sensors with a proportional output. The driver operates these paddles at the race start and at pit stops.
In racecar applications, pedal position sensors are used to monitor throttle and brake pedal movement or, in ‘drive by wire’ applications, operate the throttle via an electronically controlled actuation system. The sensor can be either rotary or linear in operation and is mounted with the operating shaft.
The master cylinder converts the motion of the brake pedal into a hydraulic pressure that is used to operate brake caliper movement. It consists of the reservoir, which contains the brake fluid, and the piston and cylinder that generate the hydraulic pressure. Traditionally, racecars use two master cylinders that are side by side being applied at the same time (dual).
Steering-angle position sensors measure steering wheel movement and are usually mounted on the steering column (rotary sensor) or the steering rack (linear sensor). The steering angle information is important to race engineer’s to evaluate the vehicles steering characteristics verses chassis movement and also driver performance.