Partnership combines AI, data, and analytics to pave the way for peak performance and transformative outcomes in the hyper-competitive world of Formula E racing
Genpact, a global professional services firm focused on delivering digital transformation, on 5th of December 2018 in New York City the organization announced a strategic partnership with the Envision Virgin Racing Formula E team to drive long-term performance transformation for the organization. A key part of this initiative is Genpact’s use of artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze vast amounts of data and assess race performance patterns that will enable the team to identify hidden efficiencies and unlock new racing strategies.
In a sport where 45 intense minutes separate the winners from the forgotten, every fraction of a second brings a new crucial decision. With thousands of variables that change from race to race, AI and machine learning, applied to the right areas, can turn data into a competitive edge for Envision Virgin Racing’s drivers Sam Bird and Robin Frijns. The partnership with Genpact will leverage the company’s deep process, domain, and technology expertise, to drive transformative outcomes for the team. This includes using AI for pattern discovery to organize and make sense out of myriad information sources both within and outside the car—from mechanical aspects to environmental concerns like temperature and weather patterns to governance factors like race regulations.
“In a competitive racing environment, data is our ‘eyes and ears.’ We lose the data, we lose the race,” said Sylvain Filippi, managing director and chief technology officer at Envision Virgin Racing. “Envision joined the team as majority owner at the beginning of this year to improve the team’s AI and IoT capabilities; working with Genpact will further strengthen these strategic areas. Our co-innovation with Genpact and Envision will deploy AI, machine learning, and other technologies to increase driver performance, improve strategy planning, and even boost our fan engagement. For example, the sensors on our cars sample data in various scenarios—from as low as once per lap to many times per second. Genpact’s analysis will identify pre-failure patterns, allowing us to preemptively replace sensors, and reduce the risk of a data blackout, or at its worst, a mid-race car retirement.”
Genpact and Envision Virgin Racing will analyze multiple data points to spot patterns that help the team’s strategists improve their algorithms, models, and simulations so they can plan a successful race with more accurate energy management and better in-race decisions about speed, power, and passing strategies. Genpact will help Envision Virgin Racing cleanse, organize, and harness its vast volumes of data, whether structured or unstructured, internal or external, applying machine learning to release new predictive insights. By combining deep analytics with car telemetry data feeds from more than a hundred sensors, the team improves pre-race strategy simulations and models that lead to more informed race-day decisions.
“In racing, success or failure is measured in milliseconds. Together with Envision Virgin Racing, we are taking the bold step to make drivers, teams, and cars more connected, intelligent, efficient, and incisive—creating a high-performance racing ecosystem that is not just responsive, but instinctive,” said NV “Tiger” Tyagarajan, president and chief executive officer, Genpact. “We’ve seen statistical analysis transform the sports world over the past few decades—now AI, applied to the right set of issues and integrated into the core of an organization, is poised to do the same. Like in the business world, future winners in sports will strategically and seamlessly connect process, data, and insights.”
One of Formula E’s most innovative features is Fanboost, an additional burst of power voted for by fans through social media. The most popular drivers get the higher power mode, which is enough to overtake another driver or defend a position. To improve the chances of securing Fanboost, Envision Virgin Racing will work with Genpact to use customer journey mapping to get closer to its fans, building detailed personas to find high-propensity voters, and identifying new ways to convert them into regular Fanboost supporters. And with enhanced strategic planning, Envision Virgin Racing can determine the optimal conditions to use the boost.
This is the fifth season of the first fully-electric, international Formula E racing series, which holds 13 races in 12 cities around the world. As one of the founding and most successful teams, Envision Virgin Racing is part of a platform for testing and developing road-relevant technologies for sustainable mobility solutions. The lessons learned during races enhance the design and performance of electric vehicle components for all road drivers.
Putting insight in pole position:
As updated by Genpact and Envision Virgin on 27th January 2019, the updates are as discussed in below paragraphs.
Envision Virgin Racing – a founding team in the world’s first fully electric, international single-seater street racing series – is enhancing how it stays ahead in the Formula E Championship.
With Genpact as its partner and AI as its neural wiring, the team will connect people, processes, and racing knowledge to make accurate decisions at lightning-fast speed.
By harnessing the data from its car, drivers, team, systems, and fans, Envision Virgin Racing will feed deeper insights into its race strategy and simulations. Operating at the speed of instinct, the team gains sharper predictions, stronger race performance, and the energy from more engaged fans.
Envision Virgin Racing is evolving into an instinctive racing team, harnessing AI with a connected ecosystem, predictive insight, and an adaptive workforce.
– Reproduced and printed with due permission from ( Danielle D’Angelo Genpact Media Relations )
