Racing Legend Michael Andretti Partners with Amlin PLC to Showcase Current and Future Innovations in Electric Vehicle Technology; Driverless ROBORACE Steers Discussion on Autonomous Driving and Risk Management
LAS VEGAS, Jan. 06, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Visitors to ShowStoppers at the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show can get behind the wheel of a Formula E racecar and test their skills against motorsport legend Michael Andretti while learning about the latest breakthroughs in electric vehicle innovation and driverless technology.
Amlin PLC (LON:AML), a global specialty insurer and reinsurer with more than 100 years of underwriting experience, has partnered with Andretti Autosport to compete in the 2016 FIA Formula E Championship series. The world’s first fully electric racing series, Formula E competes in 10 of the world’s leading cities, including Mexico City, Miami, Beijing, Monaco and Paris. Formula E aims to represent a vision for the future of the motor industry, serving as a framework for R&D around the electric vehicle, accelerating general interest while promoting clean energy and sustainability.
At ShowStoppers, visitors can experience Formula E racing in the VirtualGT automotive racing simulator. Manufactured by Virtual-E Corporation, VirtualGT includes custom audio electronics and loudspeakers, a distributed vibration system, D-BOX motion technology and a fully enclosed triple-screen video display to produce the most authentic racing simulation available. Visitors can test their performance against members of the Amlin Andretti Formula E team using software developed exclusively for Formula E driver training.
Las Vegas to San Diego on a Single Charge Amlin Andretti is showcasing technology components driving performance in the Formula E circuit such as battery capacity, power generation and overall design, as well as a roadmap for future advances meant to advance the electric vehicle category and overall consumer adoption.
According to the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), the governing body for world motor sport and the Formula E circuit, energy storage capacity for Formula E vehicles is expected to nearly double by 2018, increasing from the present level of 28 kWhr to 54 kWhr. Performance will also increase with racing power expected to move from a present level of 150 kW to 200 kW in the next two years.
Applied to consumer electric vehicles, this rate of innovation would increase the average range of Tesla cars to 342 miles – allowing a vehicle to travel from San Diego to Las Vegas on a single charge. If Formula E power systems were used in present day electric vehicles, consumers would be able to drive from X to X without stopping to recharge. In terms of power output and performance....
“Formula E is focused on creating efficiency and an exciting driving experience,” said Roger Griffiths, Team Principal for Amlin Andretti Autosport. “There is tremendous demand for electric vehicles, but consumers are concerned with performance, range and reliability – as well as having a car with an attractive design. Formula E creates excitement for racing fans worldwide while accelerating electric vehicle technology well beyond what would occur organically.”
Amlin Andretti Formula E cars can accelerate from zero to 62 mph (zero to 100 km/h) in three seconds and reach a maximum speed of 140 mph (225 km/h). In place of refueling during a conventional internal combustion race, driving teams currently switch cars once over the course of a 45-minute event. By 2018, performance and efficiency is expected to increase to a level that would allow a single car to complete the entire race.
ROBORACE and Driverless Technology Amlin Andretti will also discuss Formula E’s partnership with Kinetik to launch the world’s first global race series for driverless electric cars. Scheduled to take place during the 2016-2017 Formula E season, ROBORACE is a competitive platform designed to drive innovation in autonomous driving solutions. Racing teams will use identical cars and compete using real-time computing algorithms and AI technologies. ROBORACE is also designed to generate excitement and practical discussions around the viability of autonomous driving.
“ROBORACE is evidence that the technology to make autonomous driving commonplace is advancing rapidly and can perform under harsh conditions,” said (Amlin executive). “Amlin is committed to driving the discussion towards the more formidable obstacle of risk. For true adoption to occur, liability must be determined through data modeling, risk management and scenario planning. Today’s generation may be open to the concept of ordering a driverless vehicle from an app, but risk for this model must be defined before industry invests in technology and infrastructure.”
The Amlin Andretti Formula E Team A U.K. native, Roger Griffiths is a key figure within Andretti Technologies, helping to shape the future of electric energy in motorsports. He has enjoyed a vast background in many motorsports endeavors including Formula 1, IndyCar, American Le Mans Series, and Super Touring Cars, and served as the Technical Director for Honda Performance Development where he experienced success at the Indy 500 in 2012, and the 2013 Driver’s Championship.
Simona de Silvestro , the highly-rated Swiss driver, joined the single-seater ranks in 2005 competing in Formula Renault Italy. She then made the switch to Formula BMW in the U.S., ending the year in an impressive fourth in the overall standings. She competed with the team's Formula E squad in the FIA championship's inaugural season finale in June, and joins the series full-time in the No. 28 Amlin Andretti Spark SRT_01E for season two.
The Dutch driver and GP2 race winner, Robin Frijns , like many of his competitors progressed through the single-seater ranks from an early age and won titles in a number of junior categories including Formula BMW Europe, Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup and the 2012 World Series by Renault 3.5. Robin has been recognized for his talent throughout his career, testing for both Sauber and Red Bull Racing at a Formula 1 young driver test in Abu Dhabi. Frijns won the Blancpain GT Series Driver Championship. He raced in Formula E for the first time in Beijing 2015 and will be in the No. 27 Amlin Andretti Spark SRT_01E.
Formula E Racing Circuit The second season of Formula-E electric racing, which includes 10 rounds in destination cities around the globe, kicked off in Beijing on October 24, 2015, and concludes in London on July 3, 2016, with a street race in Long Beach, California on April 2, 2016, the exclusive U.S. race on the circuit. With a battery capacity of 32 watts, the Amlin Andretti team’s engine power is equivalent to 268 hp.
Fans in the U.S. can give Amlin Andretti’s drivers an extra speed boost by voting for them on fanboost.FIAFormulaE.com before and during the opening laps of the race. The three drivers with the most votes will receive an extra 95 BTUs of energy which can be used to boost power up to 79 units of horsepower. For more information, visit www.Amlin-AndrettiFE.com .
About Amlin Amlin (LON:AML) is a global specialty insurer and reinsurer with more than 100 years of experience in the insurance markets. The company’s strong foundation and superior financial strength demonstrate that it’s here for the long-term. Amlin’s track record is built on a proven strategy; encouraging its teams to apply the firm’s successful underwriting formula, incorporating a dynamic approach to risk, while developing a geographically diverse global portfolio. Amlin underwrites more than 30 classes of business through three underwriting platforms: Syndicate 2001 at Lloyd’s, Amlin AG in Switzerland and Amlin Europe in the Netherlands. Amlin plc and its underwriting subsidiaries are highly rated for their financial strength.
Media Contact: Michael Goodwin Makovsky mgoodwin@makovsky.com 212 508-9639
