To summarize the situation, at the end of the first Moto2 2019 tests which took place in Jerez, all the riders were satisfied with the new Triumph engine but some, like Dominique Aegerter, were a little disappointed by the possibilities offered by the new Magneti Marelli electronics.
“The new engine behaves differently: more power, a little more torque, but we notice so far that there is no difference for the maximum speed. We still need to work on the response of the electronics and acceleration. Magneti Marelli didn't publish much, I think. We're quite limited, I don't know if they're going to launch different things step by step, because as such we don't have the traction control. There are three different maps that we can adjust for engine braking as well as throttle response.”
Indeed, and this was the surprise of the press conference organized in Valencia which we attended, despite the technical possibility present in the ECU (Engine Control Unit), in 2019 drivers will have neither real traction control nor real wheeling control. A desire affirmed by the organizers of the championship to which we will return in detail later.
In the meantime, here are the characteristics of the 5 elements provided by Magneti Marelli, according to the various press releases from the firm that we have translated.
The electronic control system developed by Magneti Marelli for the next Moto2™ season responds to Dorna's requests for an update of the technical content of the motorcycles and consequent improvements in the use of the motorcycles as well as the safety of the riders, thus bringing them closer MotoGP™ standards.
The main challenge of the project lies in the need to develop a system capable of providing complex technological content, close to that of premier category motorcycles, adapting it to Moto2™ in terms of compact size and affordable cost.
For this purpose, Magneti Marelli has developed a complete kit including the ECU (engine control unit), the inertial platform, the dashboard, the control switch and the corresponding software. An integrated system has been created, composed of various components which individually perform a specific function, coordinated by the ECU, and which work together to ensure harmonized and efficient management of the vehicle. This systemic approach of several integrated components allows, at the same time, to optimize costs.
The system has also been developed thanks to the experience gained in motorcycle racing in general, and in particular with the development of the official engine control unit for MotoGP™, which the company has supplied to Dorna since 2013.
The Moto2™ electronic control system project involved 12 engineers from Magneti Marelli, who worked for over a year to develop the hardware, core software and application software, as well as refine and calibrate the system .
Hardware overview
Engine control unit with data logger
It is a compact and powerful system, specially designed to control motorcycle engines, control the actuators, acquire data from the motorcycle's strategic sensors and process them via dedicated software.
Based on a dual-core microcontroller, the internal data acquisition unit can drive up to 8 injectors, 4 ignition coils and a number of additional loads through its 112-pin connectors and is equipped with an accelerometer 3 axes and a temperature sensor to monitor mechanical and thermal stress. Featuring good computing capabilities, the internal data logger has a memory capacity of 1 GB and the recording core is capable of handling many different types of data at frequencies up to 1000 Hz.
With all these features, the unit represents an “all-in-one” system that reduces complexity and weight, while increasing performance. From the experience gained on MotoGP™ – where Magneti Marelli supplies the official engine control unit to all teams – the main development challenge was to integrate and adapt the complex and high-end technology developed for MotoGP ™ to the requirements of Moto2™, also focusing on size reduction and cost optimization.
Inertial platform
This device provides the ECU (engine control unit) with all relevant information about the motorcycle's behavior in space, such as acceleration, rotation speed and lean angle detection, in order to to best manage balance and grip.
The unit is equipped with internal sensors (accelerometers and gyroscopes) which allow the motorcycle's status to be reconstructed, maximizing, through the control of certain actions, the behavior and performance of the tires.
The system ensures reliability through a redundant architecture, being a unit actually built as a dual system that hosts 2 sets of sensors and 2 CAN communication lines. The compact size of the system also makes it easier to place on the motorcycle. This is the same device as the unified MotoGP™ unit.
Dashboard
It is a compact LCD panel incorporating a dot matrix, mounted in the motorcycle cockpit, which shows the rider a wide range of information including general data (engine speed, number of revolutions, number of revolutions, lap time…etc.), notifications on certain strategies (launch / traction / wheel control…etc) and messages from Race Direction and the team (generally flags or race/competitor information).
Based on vehicle speed logic, it is able to recognize whether the motorcycle is used on the track or stationary in the box. In the second case, it is only for mechanical use and it displays all relevant information regarding its reliability (sensor status, water temperature, fuel and oil pressure, etc.). Technical features include 12 top-mounted lamps to display alarms and indications, 6 unipolar analog inputs, 2 temperature sensors, 3 axial accelerometers. Easy to use and configure, the device can also be subject to a certain level of customization.
Command module
It is a compact, ergonomic and customizable module, mounted on the left side of the handlebars. It allows you to select different settings for the basic strategies (throttle management, engine braking, traction/wheeling control, etc.), as well as the activation of other strategies (swing control, pit limiter). lane…etc.). When the motorcycle is in the box, the device can also be managed for mechanical use to reset certain parameters and perform grip and acceleration adjustment.
Software Overview
The software is based on torque control and comes from the Dorna MotoGP™ software, adapted by Magneti Marelli to best adapt to the environment of the intermediate category, thanks to the simplification of certain functions, as well as to provide integration seamless with the compact size and optimized performance of the Moto2™ motor controller. Some strategies such as throttle body management, lambda control, gear shift management, engine braking, lift control and pit lane limiter are already available from the 2019 season. This is just a limited range of features and strategies already available, some of which are currently "inhibited" and will be subject to a reasonable upgrade plan over the next few seasons.
Unified calibration
Since January 2018, numerous calibration sessions have been carried out on the test bench, on the roller bench and on the track.
The first group of sessions, which concerned basic engine tuning such as fuel supply, ignition advance and lambda control, was carried out on the Externpro bench at the Externpro technical center in Aragon, in the presence of the Externpro and Magneti Marelli staff. Triumph and Magneti Marelli also carried out additional adjustments and checks at the Triumph factory in Hinckley.
The second group of sessions was developed at the roller dynamometer in Aragon, where technicians from Externpro and Magneti Marelli attended the initial and basic adjustment of the gearbox management (upshift, downshift ) as well as when starting the engine.
Finally, track testing and adjustment of torque maps, engine braking curves and refinement of fuel supply and gearbox management were carried out in Aragon by Externpro and Magneti Marelli staff and in Alcarras by Triumph and Magneti Marelli staff.
The aim of all this was to prepare a unified calibration, a basis for further refinements and customizations by chassis manufacturers and teams.
Indeed, according to the technical specifications agreed with Dorna and Triumph, the control strategies have been pre-calibrated "basic", in order to guarantee the reliability of the engine while ensuring pilots and electronic engineers the most progressive familiarization possible with the new software. However, a certain number of calibrations were left available to the teams. For example: it will be possible to change the calibration of the fuel supply and the advance within a “restricted” range; the lambda control algorithm settings will not be accessible (because they will be pre-calibrated), but teams will have the option to activate it or not. Likewise, for the management of gear changes, the basic setting of the algorithm for changing gears up and down will not be available, while the selection of the force on the selector will be left to the choice of the teams, as well as the adjustment of the gearbox barrel sensor. In addition, it will not be possible to link the grip situation and the opening of the throttle valve, but it will be possible to select pre-calibrated curves from an internal database of the ECU.
On-track training and assistance
To help teams approach the new system, specific training is provided. A three-session course with Magneti Marelli staff has already taken place in Misano, covering system configuration, interface tools (calibration change, ECU programming, data download and data analysis), view of the main strategies activated and the appropriate approach regarding the control of the system after rebuilding the motorcycle. There is availability for additional courses in January as teams begin working on the system.
On-track assistance will be provided by two Magneti Marelli technicians during each race and official test.
