FIA Formula E Is the Future of Racing
Some of the best racing you’ll find today is carried out by electric cars … especially the ones with the BMW badge.
Are you an FIA Formula E skeptic? Do you think spending an hour watching open-wheel race cars whiz around a track in silence is as exciting as getting flesh-eating bacteria? Do you fear this form of racing will be the only form of motorsport 20 years from now?
CHECK OUT: Six Reasons Why FIA Formula E Racing Should Excite You
There’s plenty of evidence to support your fears. If your only exposure to Formula E is though a mobile device or television, it makes sense you’d be underwhelmed by the sound of Formula E. Television does a great job of amplifying the lack of Formula E racecar noise, thus leaving your ears hapless, and your soul unstirred.
And with the upward mobility of the electric car market, it makes sense to believe that racing would reflect what’s going on in the consumer market, leading toward a defeatist attitude about the future of motorsport.
@FIAformulaE action from the stands at the @Qualcomm New York City ePRIX. pic.twitter.com/uTP4p9yQnp
— Manuel Carrillo III (@mc3films) July 28, 2017
Well, here’s some evidence to allay your fears and discouragement. First of all, horses lost their market leadership in transportation more than 100 years ago, yet horse racing remains a $25 billion industry. Internal-combustion racing is here to stay, too. Second of all, if you’re a Formula E skeptic, and have formed your negative opinions without ever attending a race, stop it. Find out when FIA Formula E is coming to your town, buy a ticket, and give it a chance to thrill you. I’m pretty sure it will.
I’m no die-hard racing fan, and even I got a thrill out of FIA Formula E. First, let’s address the issue of sound. Anyone who claims these cars race in silence needs to shut their dirty trap. These cars sound really cool. They fall far short of making your ears bleed, but personally I like my hearing, and I appreciate the convenience of not having to fumble for earplugs every time I go to the track.
Conventional racing has benefited the everyday driver and mass auto market of today. Electric car racing will benefit the mass auto market of tomorrow.
Also, do you like the sound of Star Wars podracers? Then you’ll like the sound of Formula E race cars. They enthusiastically build revs just like every other race car you’re used to, but these electric versions sound like something from the future, or in keeping with the Star Wars reference, they sound like machines from a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away.
I got to experience the exciting, new world of FIA Formula E thanks to our friends at Harman and BMW. You may not have heard of Harman before, but you’re likely familiar with their products like that Harman Kardon sound system in your 5 Series. In addition to Harman Kardon audio enriching the listening experience in your BMW, you can also find Harman Kardon in cars that run the gamut from the Mercedes-Benz E-Class all the way to the new Dodge Challenger Demon.
In addition, Harman is the parent company of an array of sound system manufacturers like JBL, Infinity, Lexicon, Revel and Mark Levinson. But sound systems only scratch the surface of Harman’s market penetration. In-vehicle technology (IVT) like navigation systems, telematics, around-view monitors … even iDrive is powered by their tech. In total, Harman connected car technology and audio enriches more than 50 million vehicles worldwide. Furthermore, Harman was just acquired by Samsung, and on top of all that, Harman just entered the exciting world of racing sponsorship.
ALSO SEE: What the Forum Has to Say About FIA Formula E
Conventional racing has benefited the everyday driver and mass auto market of today. Electric car racing will benefit the mass auto market of tomorrow. Far beyond vehicle dynamics and safety, there’s an incredible amount to learn in Formula E with regard to software and vehicle telematics — things in which Harman is deeply vested. Best of all, the more Harman learns, the better your BMW becomes.
You may still be pessimistic. You may still believe racing as you know it is on its death march, but the tech industry’s interest in racing is a wonderfully positive sign. More investment is always a good thing.
If that investment were going into a form of racing that was utter crap, that would be one thing, but Formula E is great wheel-to-wheel action. Check it out sometime, and you, too, will realize the future is bright.
Photos and Twitter Video by Manuel Carrillo III