Yahoo Autos F1's Strategy Group Has a Wild Idea to Improve Cockpit Protection
In order to perform more extensive testing, Formula 1 decided yesterday to delay the implementation of cockpit protection until at least 2018. That means that will Ferrari's Halo not be introduced next season, but it could also potentially allow Red Bull to restart development of its canopy. But those aren't the only two options. Apparently F1's Strategy Group is also looking at something called active cockpit protection.
As Motorsport reports, one idea that's being discussed is an active driver safety system. While something like the Halo is attached and doesn't move, an active system would use some sort of fin hidden within the car itself. The car would then use sensors to determine if a piece of debris was likely to hit the driver, and if so, it would pop up to protect his head.
Theoretically, this idea would improve driver safety while still allowing for an open cockpit. If it could be made to work, it could be the compromise F1 has been looking for. But it would have to be designed not to block the driver's vision, and it would have to work reliably. It's also about as complicated as cockpit protection could possibly get.
And while we guess it's possible that a pop-up safety fin could work, let's just say we're not exactly holding our breath.
