In motorsport, there's nowhere to hide as AI becomes new CFD tool

Unlike in an office environment, there’s nowhere to hide when it comes to race car design: Either the car is competitive or it isn’t. If a tool doesn’t help that happen, no one’s boss will tell them to use it anyway. Today, IBM and Dallara published new research showing it’s possible to train AI surrogates to run simulations in seconds that would take hours conventionally, and with comparable error margins. You might not have heard of Dallara, but you’ve seen its cars—it designs and builds the entire Indy Car and Super Formula grids, as well as numerous single-seater feeder series. It has also made plenty of sports prototypes throughout the years, building carbon-fiber chassis for Le Mans programs like Audi and Ferrari, as well as the backbone or spine that BMW, Cadillac, and soon McLaren will use for their prototypes.