Premiere on the Nordschleife

After the acid test of the Porsche Cayman 718 GT4, which successfully drove the 24h race at the Nürburgring without a mechanical link in the steering, TRE GmbH shareholder and Formula 1 world champion Nico Rosberg sat down in the steer-by-wire cockpit of the Audi R8 LMS GT3 from Schaeffler Paravan and put the space drive technology carrier through its paces on the Nordschleife. This was the first high-speed drive for a GT3 car without a mechanical connection between the steering unit and steering gear on the world’s most demanding race track.

f. l. Schaeffler Paravan CEO Roland Arnold, Formula 1 World Champion Nico Rosberg during his test drive in the Audi R8 LMS GT3 on the Nordschleife and Eckardt Döhrer will work more closely together in the future. Photo: Schaeffler Paravan

“I didn’t feel a single downside, even curbs or minor vibrations. I’d like to find out more in detail: how exactly you manage to map the input from the tires to the steering wheel so precisely. That’s a huge challenge in terms of software and sensor technology,” says Nico Rosberg after his first drive in the Audi R8 LMS GT 3. “This technology will play an important role in future vehicle development. Without a steering column, you have an enormous gain in space and can freely design the interior.”

“We are delighted that Nico Rosberg sat in the car himself to get his own impression of the steering behavior of the bolide on the race track. His verdict is another important confirmation of our work and an incentive at the same time,” says Roland Arnold, CEO of Schaeffler Paravan Technologie GmbH.

“With the chassis specialist TRE, we have an important development partner, especially in the area of testing, simulation and development of chassis concepts.” – Roland Arnold

The background to the test was the planned closer cooperation between TRE GmbH and Schaeffler Paravan Technologie GmbH & Co. KG with a view to developing new vehicle concepts. “It’s important to get a feel for the technology yourself, which you want to develop further together,” says Eckardt Döhrer, managing director of TRE GmbH, headquartered in Neustadt an der Weinstraße.

“With the chassis specialist TRE, we have an important development partner, especially in the area of testing, simulation and development of chassis concepts. I see important points of contact here. Space Drive, currently the only road-approved digital steering technology, has already laid an important foundation stone for future vehicle development,” says Arnold, who developed Space Drive from mobility for the disabled. “That this technology is resilient, we have sustainably proven at the 24h race. These drivers have also reported that they feel virtually no difference to conventional steering and are seeing the first benefits.”

“We are the specialist for chassis development, vehicle dynamics, rolling chassis, up to series development. Our focus is on the implementation of such systems as well as simulation on the test bench. We have already worked together on the Schaeffler Mover topic. Since we also have a racing history, it makes perfect sense to advance such projects together when it comes to simulations, for example,” explains Döhrer. “In feedback, for example, the tire plays an important role as the link between the road and the steering. With different tires or road surfaces, for example, we can simulate very specific driving behavior. These are important topics for collaboration in order to develop the system closer to series production.”

“The elimination of the steering column through steer-by-wire opens up a wide range of facets for the further development of future vehicle models,” says Roland Arnold. “New Mobility is a very important area, especially for Nico Rosberg, and Space Drive steering technology is a very important component here, along with alternative drive concepts, which is a great fit for us,” emphasizes Döhrer.

Chassis simulation and steering control, as well as the overall integration of new technologies in vehicle concepts, represent important interfaces for both companies that now need to be further expanded. One important goal is to shorten the development process. The beginning is made!

f. l. Eckhardt Döhrer, Managing Director of TRE, shareholder Nico Rosberg and Schaeffler Paravan CEO Roland Arnold want to cooperate more closely in the future. Photo: Schaeffler Paravan

Exchange of experiences with Markus Winkelhock, regular driver on the Audi R8 LMS GT3 with Space Drive, before the Formula 1 World Champion tests the Audi on the Nordschleife for the first time. Photo: Schaeffler Paravan

Nico Rosberg after his test on the Nordschleife in the Audi R8 LMS GT3 with Space Drive. Photo: Schaeffler Paravan