SALT LAKE CITY, USA and ABU DHABI, UAE - April 10, 2008 - In a joint effort to improve the safety of F1 powerboat racing, inthinc, a leader in driver safety solutions, has joined with the International Powerboating Association (Union Internationale Motonautique or U.I.M) and F1 Boats to implement a “black Box” Crash Data Recorder known as the Witness™ in the boats racing in the F1 Powerboat World Championship.
The Witness™ has been used for several years in the United States in NASCAR’s top 3 sanctioned racing series (Sprint Cup, Nationwide, and Craftsman Trucks) and has contributed to safety improvements through that sport. Implementation of the Witness™ is the next step in a long line of measures the U.I.M. has taken to improve safety for its racers.
“We have been making great strides in powerboat racing safety in recent years,” said Nicolo di San Germano, promoter of F1 World Championship. “The addition of the Witness from inthinc will provide us precise data about each boat during a race. The new insights will help bring even greater levels of safety as we expand the global reach and elevate the stature of powerboat racing to audiences worldwide.”
The 16-foot long carbon fiber catamarans rocket around a circuit at speeds topping 225kph (130mph). The Witness records the dramatic forces acting on a boat in a crash. Following a crash, the recorded data can be immediately accessed and analyzed. The information is then compiled and examined to help design even safer boats and more effective safety devices. All data is stored by inthinc and available for analysis through a web-enabled portal.
The Witness™ is virtually maintenance-free and is self-powered with a battery life of several years. It objectively measures the magnitude and direction of the forces experienced in a crash. The device has been tested and its accuracy validated by the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic & Safety Administration), IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety), NASCAR, GrandAM, FIA, ATK-Thiokol, NASA and Delphi, to name a few.
“Safety is of paramount importance and one of the greatest concerns for everyone involved in the F1 races,” said Todd Follmer, CEO of inthinc. “The Witness Crash Data Recorder removes speculation and guess-work following an accident. Although there is no doubt that these races are dangerous, the data collected by this device can help reduce injuries and improve overall safety.”
About inthinc
Inthinc combines innovative ideas with engineering expertise to create breakthrough technologies that mentor drivers toward safe driving behavior, saving lives, preventing accidents and safeguarding property. inthinc’s technology dramatically improves driver behavior and has been documented by clients to reduce accidents by more than 80 percent annually. For more information, please visit http://www.inthinc.com
Press contacts:
SNG PR
Tim Rush or Rod Anderson
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