Launch Control: Launch Control Explained
Launch Control Explained
01.53
00:00 | - If you want to get the best performance possible from a standing start, using a launch control system is critical. |
00:06 | The concept is simply to control engine power in an attempt to manage wheel spin or wheel slip from a standing start. |
00:14 | Too much engine power results in excessive wheel spin and poor acceleration while not enough will end up with the car bogging down and hardly moving. |
00:24 | There are a variety of possible ways that launch control can function, varying from a simple launch RPM limiter through to the ability to control the engine rev limiter or even drive by wire throttle position versus road speed to ensure optimal acceleration. |
00:42 | Of course, on top of the basics, we may also have the ability to adjust the launch control settings to suit track or weather conditions from the cabin. |
00:51 | The ability and complexity of the launch control system will vary from ECU to ECU as well as what you want to achieve. |
01:00 | To better explain the possibilities we'll look at some examples at the end of this section. |
01:06 | While a launch control system can seem complex it's important to remember that we're only seeking to emulate what a capable driver will do manually. |
01:16 | By this I mean adjusting the engine's power delivery to achieve the optimum amount of traction available from a standing start. |
01:24 | While a competent driver can usually do a good job of this, replicating this performance using an ECU will mean that we get exactly the same results every time the car is launched, and this consistency is hard for a human to achieve. |
01:40 | As we'll see in the worked examples, if we can data log a really good manual launch we can use this data to help us configure the launch settings for the best possible results. |