McLaren deploys NTT Com's SD-WAN tech for 2018 F1 racing season

KUALA LUMPUR, March 23 (Bernama) -- McLaren Formula 1 Team (McLaren), a pioneering leader in Formula 1 motor racing for more than 50 years, and NTT Communications Corporation (NTT Com), announced that McLaren will adopt its software-defined wide-area network (SD-WAN) technology.

The technology will be used to connect the McLaren Technology Centre with racing circuits in 21 countries during the 2018 season, according to a statement from NTT Com.

The decision follows a successful test deployment of the technology during the 2017 Japan Grand Prix, when McLaren was able to send 100gb of data during a race from Japan to the UK via NTT Com's SD-WAN.

NTT Com's SD-WAN uses software to control the WAN, providing McLaren with quick, secure, reliable and flexible management of data traffic flows which can be sent via different connections, such as Internet, mobile and MPLS, depending on time, priority and current network speed.

The service also includes a dashboard screen to visualise data-traffic status during a race, with McLaren able to grasp network availability and required data bandwidth at a glance to optimise data transmission during a race.

This gives McLaren an edge in the real-time formation, adjustment and deployment of in-race strategy.

"We engineered a solution for the 2018 season that McLaren will now use across the team. I am very pleased with the success of our technology partnership," said vice-president IoT Office/McLaren Taskforce, Dr Shin Miyakawa.

Meanwhile, executive director of McLaren Technology Group, Zak Brown said: "Technology is such an important part of racing. SD-WAN is one of a number of marginal gains we are seeing from the technology partnership with NTT Com."

"Because SD-WAN offers us more control over data flows during crucial moments, it gives us an edge and it also proves the willingness of our technology partners to deliver, to bring their expertise to the party, with the ultimate goal of driving the team faster."

NTT Com provides consultancy, architecture, security and cloud services to optimise the information and communications technology (ICT) environments of enterprises. More information on NTT Com's SD-WAN can be accessed at ntt-sdwan.com.