Club
ACO president Pierre Fillon discusses the issues surrounding the future of motoring and mobility. He also reveals his aims for the iconic Le Mans-based club and the Assises de l’Automobile conference. A diverse range of crucial topics.
I shall not go into detail today but, very shortly, I shall explain precisely which avenues we are going to explore. I can guarantee that our club, our members, are at the core of our thought process. They are our lifeblood. Vehicle and road use is undergoing profound change and we are looking to offer services that reflect our members’ needs.
Our offerings will appeal to racing fans and everyday road users alike. We shall streamline our strategy by creating a foundation package that is affordable to every budget, and a range of options to cover all manner of needs and desires.
We have several levers. The first, of course, is motorsport. Thanks to our direct collaboration with manufacturers, we are well aware of research topics and the areas in which they are looking to experiment their ideas. The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the ideal laboratory, the ultimate hard-core testing ground.
New energies, hybrid cars and rechargeable hybrid solutions are today’s hot topics, but let’s not forget that the ACO has been working on hybrid technology since 2008, and that a hybrid car first won Le Mans in 2012. Six years later, the Paris Motor Show was packed with hybrids. This shows just how much motor racing contributes to everyday motoring.
In 2020, our new regulations will combine two key elements. The premier class will be geared towards hypercars – the super sportscars that dreams are made of. Our prototypes will be these sleek racing machines and they will still be hybrids, with a system within the budget of manufacturers and private teams. Racing creates a platform on which technologies can be developed to make them simpler and more affordable for the mainstream market.
As for autonomous vehicles, I wish to reiterate that we shall always organise races with drivers at Le Mans. Above all, the 24 Hours of Le Mans is a human endeavour. The spirit of Le Mans is embodied in the men and women – drivers, engineers, mechanics, and so on – involved. But that doesn’t mean ignoring artificial intelligence altogether. It can be useful to racing, without diminishing the value of the driver’s performance. Artificial intelligence can be adapted to safety issues: it can provide a solution to the thorny issue of blind spots and, using geotracking, adapt electronic stability control to different portions of the circuit, and therefore “cushion” the impact... These are just some examples of how AI is likely to be used in motor racing, and which give us plenty of food for thought.
The 24 Hours of Le Mans demonstrates the relevance of new technology. Our mission is to be influential, to break new ground and lead the way. That’s why the future of the race will include hydrogen.
As I said earlier, the motoring world is undergoing something of a revolution. Vehicles change; our relationship with mobility too. Huge challenges lie ahead. We wanted to hold a day of industry-wide debate and discussion with experts, manufacturers and speakers from across the international spectrum on all the topics that are crucial to the future of motoring. We have found our ideal teammate in Ouest-France.
The programme will be rich and varied. Energy and the economic issues facing the fuel of tomorrow: petrol, electricity and hydrogen. Is the internal combustion engine under threat? Does motor racing still drive innovation? Will the driver become a simple passenger? Will driverless, connected, smart cars take control? What will the legal and other consequences be? The ACO is not content to be a bystander. We intend to drive the research and thought processes on these matters. Note the date: 28 March at the Bugatti circuit in Le Mans.
Pictures : DR/ACO
