The Elephant in the Room – Artificial Intelligence
How Artificial Intelligence Impacts Driving Analytics
Several months ago, I was talking to my nephew and explaining what I do—analyzing data and video to coach drivers and determine setup changes. His response was: “That sounds like something Artificial Intelligence (AI) could help with.”
That got me thinking: can I really use AI to help me do my job better? And at some point, could I even be replaced by AI? With those questions in mind, I decided to dip my toes into the AI pool by using ChatGPT for tasks that would normally take me a long time to complete on my own—or to analyze data when I wasn’t completely confident in my conclusions.
First Experiments
One of my first uses for ChatGPT was writing code in VBScript. While I learned some programming in older languages, I’m by no means a programmer. I can usually follow the logic in a program, but I don’t know all the commands and formatting.
Since it’s possible to use VBScript within the math channels in Wintax, I wanted to write a program to act as a counter—for example, to track how many times a driver lifts off the gas in a corner, how many steering corrections they make, or how many times they reapply the brakes while entering a corner.
I had a clear idea of what I wanted but not the skills to build it efficiently. I brushed up on VBScript and started writing, but quickly realized it was going to take me far too long. So I copied what I had into ChatGPT and explained my goal as if I were talking to another person. Within seconds, ChatGPT generated a working program. Even better, it explained the changes it made and why.
I also used ChatGPT to refine an Excel macro I had recorded for formatting Wintax data exports. That refinement alone saved me a lot of time.
Testing AI on Data Analysis
The big question, though, was whether AI could actually help with data analysis.
As a test, I selected a lap from a driver running Road Atlanta for the first time in a Porsche GT4 CS race car. Exhibit 1 shows data from their fastest lap in the first session.
Exhibit 1
What I Asked
I prompted ChatGPT with:
“Here is a screen shot of some data from a driver of a Porsche GT4 CS at Road Atlanta. This is the fastest lap from the driver’s first time driving at Road Atlanta. What do you think they should work on for their next session?”
What It Said
ChatGPT’s response broke the analysis into sections—braking, throttle, steering, gears, and overall driving development. Here are some highlights:
– Braking: Inconsistent pressure, with lots of small stabs instead of firm, progressive applications. Focus next session on hitting the brake hard and early, then trailing off smoothly.
– Throttle: Hesitation and pulsing mid-corner and on exit. Aim for earlier, smoother throttle application.
– Steering: Abrupt corrections in fast sections. Focus on slowing down inputs and letting the chassis rotate.
– Gears: Gear choices were mostly fine, but at times the driver stayed in too high a gear, hurting exits.
– Summary: Biggest gains will come from braking commitment and smoother throttle use—not chasing mid-corner speed yet.
I have to say, this was quite impressive. A beginning driver could easily get a lot out of this without spending money on private coaching. I think the faster the driver, the more a private coach can help them though.
Setup Guidance
I’ve also experimented with using ChatGPT to help evaluate setup changes. Again, the responses were often useful—though the harder the question, the less precise the answer. Still, the explanations were detailed and gave me another perspective to think about.
I’ve found that you have to be very careful about how you phrase your questions. If you aren’t specific enough, the answers won’t be specific enough either. Sometimes I’ve even challenged ChatGPT’s responses, and it has revised its answer—acknowledging that my reasoning was correct.
Final Thoughts
In summary, AI can be extremely beneficial, but critical thinking is still required when using it. I’m currently applying it to some very interesting projects (which I won’t disclose here—I don’t want my competitors knowing my secrets! 😊). As far as whether or not AI can replace me, I don’t think it can yet – but that doesn’t mean it won’t be able to in the future! Hopefully, that won’t happen anytime soon!
And by the way, I’ve recently started using ChatGPT as an editor for these articles, and I have to admit—it’s a much better editor than I am.
Good luck in your races!