Motorsport has emerged as a pivotal test bed for automotive technology that eventually trickles down to road vehicles. From disc brakes and active suspension to fuel injection and automated manual transmissions, the demands on the track have spurred numerous technologies that are now commonplace. But it’s not just product innovation underway; racing’s relentless demands around quality, precision, and rapid development cycles have kicked off a revolution on the engineering and manufacturing side as well.

“Formula One (F1) has always been a laboratory, spurring the transition of car technology from race to road,” said Ignazio Dentici, Vice President of Automotive at Hexagon. “The migration is well known for products, but now it’s also about processes.” Hexagon specialises in advanced engineering and manufacturing technology that allows companies to innovate in an agile and collaborative manner. For racing teams, this sort of capability helps to reduce development time in the factory and lap time on the track. For automakers and their Tier 1s, it’s the ticket to coping with shrinking development cycles and new technology demands around electric vehicles (EVs) and connected cars.