The Indianapolis 500 is one of the most iconic and famous events in motorsports. Dating back more than a century to 1911, the Indy 500 thrilled audiences with its intense, high-speed competition of drivers pushing their open-wheel race cars to the limits. And as technology has advanced, so has the Indy 500 experience – both for the racing teams and its tens of thousands of fans.
At the forefront of implementing cutting-edge technology for the Indianapolis 500 is NTT, a global leader in IT services and solutions. NTT is the official technology partner of INDYCAR, the sanctioning body behind the NTT INDYCAR SERIES of races, including the prestigious Indy 500.
“NTT DATA has pushed the boundaries of technology’s impact on motorsports, helping us harness large amounts of data in advanced and productive ways,” said Roger Penske, president of Penske Corporation, owner of INDYCAR and of IMS. “NTT DATA has delivered significant improvements to operations at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway with its NTT Smart Venue technology, delivering new levels of safety, security and efficiency for 300,000 fans in the stands, while also providing Real-time data feed for race control as well as our INDYCAR app powered by NTT DATA.
NTT leverages its expertise in data, AI and intelligent solutions to deliver groundbreaking innovations that transform the way racing teams compete and fans engage with this iconic event. Here, Technology Magazine highlights some of the key technology solutions implemented by NTT:
Data-driven racing insights
Each race car is equipped with more than 140 sensors capturing eight billion data points throughout an event. NTT integrates this racing data into its NTT Smart Solutions platform, applying advanced AI and predictive analytics.
The information collected allows NTT to provide fans with near real-time visualizations of critical moments such as head-to-head passing, race strategies, predicted race winners, and much more. Fans can access these data-driven racing stories through the INDYCAR app as well as race broadcasts.
Smart Site Improvements
Behind the scenes, NTT is revolutionizing operational efficiencies and the fan experience at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway itself through “smart venue” technologies. Computer vision, sensor data, digital ticketing and other intelligent solutions work together to optimize areas such as:
- Security controle
- Crowd flow modeling
- Traffic management
- Waiting times at dealerships
The more than 300,000 fans attending the Indy 500 can enjoy a safe and smooth environment thanks to NTT’s site optimization solutions.
Realistic racing simulations
In one of its most forward-thinking innovations for the Indy 500, NTT is introducing limited fan experiences leveraging its Embodied Knowledge technology. This combines physical feedback such as vibrations, forces and steering resistances with immersive digital elements.
Fans, NTT says, can experience what it feels like to drive an Indy race car on the iconic oval by synchronizing their movements with those of a professional racing driver. This is a remarkable simulation that is only possible through the convergence of technologies such as sensors, AI, XR and haptics that NTT has pioneered.
Eric Clark, CEO of NTT DATA, North America, said: “We work with the world’s largest companies in complex industries, but few organizations produce as much real-time data and analysis as teams and locations racing NTT INDYCAR SERIES. The partnership with INDYCAR helps us explore and test our offerings in intense real-time contexts. We use these learnings to help our customers innovate and transform their operations, improve sustainability, leverage AI, and improve the customer experience.
