FORUMula1.com - F1 Forum

[Frosty]

I was thinking do you think Helmet Mounted Display (HMD) system could be used to give the drivers better information while still being able to keep there eyes on the track. HMD are used by fighter pilots in modern fighters such as the F22, Typhoon and F35.

[Denthúl]

That could be quite distracting. With fighter pilots, they aren't touching wingtips with another jet, so unlike drivers they don't need to be able to focus on their car (or jet), the track, the cars around them and any flags/LEDs all at the same time. :/

[Frosty]

That could be quite distracting. With fighter pilots, they aren't touching wingtips with another jet, so unlike drivers they don't need to be able to focus on their car (or jet), the track, the cars around them and any flags/LEDs all at the same time. :/

I would say a fighter flying low level at 30ft off the ground that's a lot less than the length of the plane itself through mountains travelling at 800ft per a second you don't have much time to react. With HMD you would not have to look at the flags or the steering wheel LED's I would also say most HMD only use one eye so you got the other eye focused on whatever your looking at.

[stonemonkey]

I'm sure I heard that Schumacher had been looking into that a couple of years ago, never heard anything else about it though.

IMO it would be a distraction.

[Frosty]

Just found this so they have been used http://www.gizmag.com/go/1603/

[scotty]

They seem to have done fine without it thus far... is this anything to do with the Massa qualifying incident?

[darwin dali]

I've been driving for 9 years now with a HUD (Head up display) in my car. I miss it every time I drive in another car. It keeps me informed without having to take my eyes off the road - no distraction whatsoever.

[onelapdown]

Just found this so they have been used http://www.gizmag.com/go/1603/

They have been used - by Ralf Schumacher...

The difference between a fighter pilot and an F1 driver is that the pilot has a whole plane full of computation to do the thinking for him which allows him to concentrate on other things. Basically a pilot can't be allowed to make mistakes because it leads to mission failure and death, whereas an F1 driver making a mistake and getting punished leads to better racing...

[8-ball]

A driver doesn't have much peripheral vision anyway so i don't think that these HMD would be bucking the trend of decreasing driver vision
I think it would be too much of a distraction for F1 drivers and without the army of computers that are on fighter planes accidents will be frequent

[bud]

vision is one of the most important pieces in motorsports, being able to see the apex braking points etc
and being on the limit theres no time for a digital 100 or 200 blocking your vision in a corner