TECHNOLOGY · MANUFACTURER NEWS

Cadillac F1 Team Tracks Every Nut and Bolt With GM Software

Photo: Cadillac Newsroom

A Formula 1 car contains thousands of individual components, many with strictly limited service lives. Cadillac's Formula 1 team is using software developed by General Motors to keep track of them, right down to individual nuts and bolts.

The system, called Race Vehicle Gateway (RVG), assigns serial numbers to tens of thousands of components, allowing engineers to record where, when and how each part has been used.

That information helps the team determine when components should be inspected or retired. It also allows engineers to investigate potential problems by comparing physical inspections with recorded operating data.

RVG works alongside another GM-developed program, Race Vehicle Simulation (RVS). Together, they form Race Vehicle Platform, a system that combines component histories with simulation data to support engineering and performance decisions.

The technology is featured in Cadillac's What Makes Fast documentary series, which explores the technical work behind its Formula 1 program.

GM says the benefits extend beyond racing. Tools and techniques developed through motorsports can also inform production-vehicle engineering, including aerodynamic development.

It's an extraordinary level of recordkeeping. Most of us consider it a victory just to remember where we put the 10-millimeter socket.

Original announcement: Cadillac Newsroom