Tata Communications launched the 2017 edition of the F1 Connectivity Innovation contest. The company serves as the official connectivity provider to Formula 1.
The first challenge, set by Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport, focusses on the Internet of Things (IoT) and participants stand the chance to win the grand prize of US$ 50,000 (approximately ₹32 lakh). They will have to come up with ideas for IoT solutions that the team could use to perform better at each Grand Prix.
The solutions cover three areas - human performance, race operations and logistics management.
“The future of the digital world lies in enabling tens of billions of people and things globally to become seamlessly connected - this will open up tremendous opportunities in how we engage with one another and everything around us,” says Julie Woods-Moss, Tata Communications’ president and chief innovation and marketing officer.
“As F1 enters a new era of digital transformation, we want to drive innovation in the sport through game-changing IoT solutions that have the potential to not only take the teams’ execution on and off the track to the next level, but also enhance the race experience for fans around the world.”
There will be two challenges, and judges will pick three winners from each. Six winners will be awarded trips to the 2017 F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where the announcement of the grand prize will be made by the jury.