Delphi IRL Safety Truck Rides to Aid of Drivers in 2004

Indy Racing League will have Most Sophisticated Rescue Operation; On-board Cameras will Convey Vital, Real-Time Info to Doctors, Rescue Team for First Time in Racing History

INDIANAPOLIS, Jan. 27 -- Delphi Corp. and the Indy Racing League's (IRL) combined efforts to bring the most sophisticated safety and racing technologies to the sport will be further realized this season. In a motor sports first, Delphi Indy Racing League Safety Team trucks will be equipped with two Delphi on-board camera systems for increased safety during rescue activities. The two camera-based systems on the truck will help facilitate the treatment of an injured driver by providing vital, real-time information to doctors and the rescue team.

"Safety is our number one priority," said William A. Lafontaine, Delphi's corporate director of media relations and marketing communication. "These cameras will allow for more safety while the trucks are on the track as well as help us get the information we need to hospitals in advance of the driver's arrival, which can be an enormous benefit. In addition, we will be able to gather critical data needed for helping to make racing safer."

A front-facing camera will record the driver extraction from the vehicle, and transfer that video wirelessly to a nearby medical center so that doctors can have an early indication of the nature and severity of injuries. Later, the safety team can review that same video to critique its performance and identify ways to improve on-site treatment.

A rear-facing camera will look into the back of the safety truck to monitor the two firemen who are assigned to ride on the back of the truck. It will also monitor oil dry distribution to ensure proper application. The video will be fed to a monitor mounted in the front seat, where the passenger can observe the activity and advise the driver accordingly.

"Delphi is helping to give doctors and rescue workers the advantage of time as well as the gift of hindsight to help ensure we continue to build the safest environment for drivers and crews," said Dr. Henry Bock, medical director for the Indy Racing League. "The new technologies from Delphi are a great step forward in improving on-track driver care."

ON-BOARD CAMERAS AS EMERGING TECHNOLOGY TREND

The automotive industry is beginning to see the potential for on-board cameras for more robust safety systems.

"Our involvement in racing has always gone beyond sponsorship by providing us a harsh testing environment for our most recent and innovative products," said Glen Gray, manager of motor sports technology for Delphi. "Our racing, electronics and safety teams have worked very quickly to develop this application for the IRL and we look forward to this season where we'll use the data we gather to not only help improve racing safety, but also transfer that knowledge to build even better safety systems for cars and trucks."

A team of Delphi engineers developed the new applications for the rescue vehicles. "This is a great example of how our automotive experience and strong relationship with the league is positively impacting the sport," said Gray. "Because we have a team of safety electronics experts who have been developing camera applications for the automotive market for years, we were able to build on what they've done to deliver a solution to the IRL in just six months."

MORE SAFETY ON TRUCK: BACK-UP AID, TRACK CONDITION RADIO

The 2004 Delphi IRL safety trucks also will feature two other Delphi safety technologies that will help everyone involved in rescue efforts: Delphi Forewarn(R) Back-Up Aid and the track condition radio.

Delphi Forewarn Back-Up Aid -- currently available to consumers both as an aftermarket and OEM-installed option -- uses radar technology to help drivers avoid objects behind their vehicle that might not be visible from the driver's seat. The radar system is able to detect objects as far as 16.4 feet away, which provides more coverage than similar systems that use ultrasonic componentry.

Delphi's track condition radio will allow the safety truck driver to obtain critical information from race control. A dash-mounted display communicates messages, including safety warnings and the track condition.

"This is only the beginning," Gray said. "We are looking at other ways to help the safety and rescue team and we anticipate there will even be more Delphi technologies for the safety truck by the start of the racing season next year. We are not standing still."