#front wheel speed sensor

[strangeengineering]

Front Brake Speed Sensor Kits for Drag Racing – Strange Engineering

Drag racing is a competitive sport, and using quality adjustment tools is crucial to staying ahead of your competition. Small adjustments need to be made carefully in the car so that it can provide the maximum benefits in the competition.  Front Brake Speed Sensor Kit is one of those important small adjustments that should not be neglected. This component plays an important role in providing stability to the driver while doing drag racing.

The Value of Front Wheel Data

Drag racing isn’t just about speed—it’s about control and consistency. Most racers are familiar with rear wheel sensors, but adding a sensor to the front brakes offers unique insights. These kits track front wheel rotation during launch and braking, offering data that helps diagnose traction issues, brake timing, and suspension behavior.

This forward-looking approach allows teams to understand how their cars behave at the most critical points of a run. Without it, you're missing half the story.

Designed for the Track, Built for Abuse

Race environments are punishing. Heat, high RPMs, vibration, and abrupt force changes mean that only the toughest components survive. That’s why selecting sensor kits designed for racing, not adapted from street vehicles, is crucial.

High-grade materials and motorsport-focused designs ensure these sensors can deliver clean, uninterrupted signals every run. From sealed wiring to strong mounting hardware, durability isn’t optional—it’s expected.

Installation and Compatibility Matter

A solid sensor is only as good as its installation. Alignment, spacing, and secure mounting are key to avoiding signal errors or component wear. Quality kits offer user-friendly setup options that work seamlessly with major data acquisition systems.

Once in place, a properly installed sensor kit will begin generating actionable insights immediately. Fewer adjustments, faster calibration, and better accuracy mean more time fine-tuning performance, and less time troubleshooting.

Smarter Data Leads to Smarter Decisions

What makes these kits so powerful is the ability to reveal patterns drivers can’t feel. For instance, consistent early deceleration on one wheel may indicate imbalance or hidden chassis issues. Without this feedback, teams might continue tuning around a problem they didn’t know existed.

By integrating this information with other data sources, teams can refine setup decisions that impact every launch, shift, and braking point.

Why Front Sensors Are Gaining Popularity

Front brake speed sensors have become more common in top-tier racing, not because of a trend, but because of results. Racers who embrace this technology often find themselves one step ahead—predicting problems, dialing in performance, and maintaining mechanical health better than those relying on guesswork.

With any racing tool, there is a matter of quality. Drag-specific kits tested in actual track conditions provide unparalleled reliability and value.

A Trusted Source for Race-Grade Components

This is where Strange Engineering continues to set the standard. Known for delivering parts that hold up under extreme pressure, they offer Front Brake Speed Sensor Kits that racers trust for performance and longevity. Whether you’re a weekend warrior or a seasoned pro, having dependable data from the front wheels can be the edge you’ve been missing.

Conclusion

When you're racing for every hundredth of a second, trusted feedback becomes very important for your progress. A front brake speed sensor kit is an investment, yes, but the insights it provides can be life-changing. In a sport where control is speed, it's the silent data that tends to speak the loudest.

[lucius-the-sinful]

all in all. its been a terrible week. (its wednesday). but im fine.

[popp1n]

GHOSTING THE GOVERNMENT

|masterpost| ao3

Chap 1: A Not-so-Ghostly Getaway.

Pt 1

The diplomas, still crisp and smelling faintly of the school auditorium's mothball-esque stale air, lay forgotten in the storage pocket of the back seat. Outside, the oppressive silence of Amity Park clung to the humid night like a shroud. Under the sliver of a waning moon, three figures moved with struggling efficiency, their hushed whispers swallowed by the darkness, only interrupted by the thump and tumble of packing a small car's trunk full to the brim.

Sam wrestled a lumpy duffel bag into the cramped trunk of Jazz’s beat-up Corolla, its faded paint a familar reflection to the scuffed and chipped state of Amity Park's buildings and roads. Tucker carefully slid a disassembled and altered shortwave radio beneath a pile of old blankets, his knuckles pale as he adhered it to the floor with heavy-duty tape. In the driver's seat, Jazz checked the rearview mirror for the tenth time, her gaze flicking nervously towards the omnipresent, unblinking lenses mounted on nearly every lamppost, but most importantly those fastened to her childhood home.

This morning, Danny and his friends walked across that stage, officially free in the eyes of the State. Tonight, they were taking that freedom for themselves, one clandestine mile and issue at a time.

Sam finally managed to cram their luggage into place and successfully close the trunk without unnecessary noise. She slid into the backseat beside Tucker, who was checking the camera feeds again.

"The loop is still set, and I have my program ready to intercept feeds as we drive," Tucker sighed, lowering his computer screen and minimizing the glow, "All that's left is for Danny to finish and we can get out of here."

It was at that moment that they could hear keys jangling near the FentonWorks's front door. Danny made himself present and quickly hurried over to the open passenger side door.

The Corolla’s suspension groaned as Danny shoved a final ratty backpack crammed with scavenged ghost tech and blueprints onto the back seat, causing Sam to give a small indignant squawk at it landing in her lap before shoving it into place between her and Tucker. He slid into the passenger seat, closed the door, and buckled in a series of swift movements. Danny, ever the pragmatist, double-checked the rearview mirror, while Jazz gripped the steering wheel, knuckles white.

“Okay, everyone set?” Jazz’s voice was a low murmur, barely audible above the thrum of the engine.

Tucker huffed an affirmative, his gaze flicking to the other small, palm-sized device he’d carefully placed on the dashboard. It pulsed with a faint, stolen green light. “Just need to power that baby up once we’re a few miles out.”

Jazz reached over and squeezed Danny's arm. “Danny, are you sure about this? Leaving everything…” Her voice trailed off, the unspoken fear hanging heavy in the air.

“Positive,” Danny said, meeting her gaze. “Staying means… well, you know.” He glanced at Tucker, who offered a tight nod of agreement.

“So, portal us out of here then, speed demon,” Jazz said, a nervous edge to her usual teasing tone. “Last I checked, you could blink us to Gotham City before they even noticed we were gone.”

Danny sighed, running a hand through his already messy hair. “That’s the thing. I can’t.”

Jazz tilted her head to him, eyes on the road and confusion etched on her face. “What do you mean, you can’t?” She asked, her brow furrowed. “Are you… are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Danny insisted. “Physically, anyway. But remember those ‘rural-urban wellness initiatives’ the government rolled out last year? The ones that supposedly monitored for earth quakes and groundwater?”

Jazz's eyes widened. “You think…?”

Tucker nodded grimly. “They weren’t just mapping out tremors and underground streams. They were mapping ectoplasm fluctuations...at least the sensors in town are. Every portal, even natural ones, creates a ripple. A pretty significant one, apparently.” He pointed towards the stolen and modified device on the dash. “This little beauty confirms it. They’ve got localized sensors all over Amity Park, calibrated specifically to detect any paranormal distortions. If Danny tried to portal us out now, it’ll be like setting off a silent alarm directly to GIW headquarters.”

A heavy silence descended upon the car. Jazz’s shoulders slumped slightly. “So, all those times they ‘randomly’ stopped by the house for ‘routine checks’ after you seemed a little… restless…”

Danny’s jaw tightened. “Yeah. They knew something. They’ve been watching. Waiting.” He sighed, "They probably wrote it off so far as interference from the lab portal and whatnot, but that isn't a foolproof defense."

Sam leaned forward in her seat. “This is the only way. Old-fashioned, on the ground, under the radar. Once we’re far enough out, past that massive ghost shield they're building, then maybe… maybe Danny can risk it. But not here. Not now.”

The weight of their words settled in the small car, replacing their initial surge of post-graduation hope with a stark dose of reality. It was a harsh reminder that their lives were nowhere close to normal. This was not a regular carpool to their shared college pick; although, it was no less emotional than the standard fair.

Tucker was excited for opportunities with the biggest technology conglomerate in the world. He and Danny managed to score scholarships along with paid internships with their practical demonstrations. Sam was interested in the gothic architecture and ecology courses that their destination had to offer. Danny was intrigued by the rumored curses around the city. Jazz was looking forward to finishing her psychology degree and potentially working in Arkham.

But home is home, no matter how strained it has become in recent years.

Emotions were complicated, and many a tear were shed by the teens as they pulled out of the neighborhood and headed towards city limits. Jazz offered each of them a blanket and bid them to rest.

Next>

[race-week]

2024 Pre Season Testing Guide

Flow-Vis

A fluorescent powder that is mixed up with a light oil, usually paraffin, and is painted liberally on to the car

Then when the car goes out and as it’s moving up to speed and going through a cornering condition, the paint dries as the oil evaporates and you end up being able to visualise, very clearly, what sort of flow structures you've got.

Sometimes flow-vis will just be painted on a small portion of the car, to observe the airflow in a particular area, but sometimes you’ll see cars covered in flow-vis

Aero Rakes

A series of ‘pitot tubes’, which are sensors designed to measure the airflow off of the body structures.

By measuring the dynamic pressure, they can get an idea of the flow structures that are coming off things like the front wing, and the front wheels

There’s a whole host of different shapes of aero rakes, some quite tall, some very wide and some (like the Ferrari below) which look particularly interesting.

Watch out for

Lap count - I personally think this to be far more important than lap times. If a team can get undisturbed running for the 3 days it’ll be ideal.

High winds - this is common with the Bahrain circuit, and it’s a good chance to see how the cars handle under less than ideal conditions.

Team/driver behaviour - the teams behaviour and body language can always be an interesting thing to observe, especially in regards to car performance.

Personally I don’t read too much into lap times themselves because you don’t know how much fuel cars are carrying or what engine modes they are using. I find testing more interesting to have a look at how the cars handle and also to observe body language.

Schedule

Each day will be split into 2 sessions (so over the course of the test there’ll be 6 sessions all together)

The track will open for running from 7am GMT until 11am GMT for the morning session

The afternoon session will run from 12pm GMT to 4pm GMT

The teams will announce their driver split in due time

[stevebattle]

LAMI (1980) by Patrick Sommer, Daniel Roux and André Guignard, Laboratory of Micro-Informatics of the EPFL of Lausanne (LAMI). "First offered by IEEE in 1978, the [Micromouse] contest was taken over by EUROMICRO and took place in London in September 1980, under the name "Amazing Micromouse Maze Contest". A team from the Laboratory of Micro-Informatics of the EPFL of Lausanne (LAMI) (Patrick Sommer, Daniel Roux and André Guignard) participated in this competition with a dozen other competitors from 4 different countries and won the Originality Award in mechanical construction. The turtle is perfectly operational (despite its relatively slow speed) in a maze built with severe tolerances. Unfortunately, difficulties arise when the maze is less precise." – ELEMICRO 110, March 1981.

"LAMI was a high precision, innovative entry from the Laboratoire de Microinformatique, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology of Lausanne. Rather than turning, it could move its square symetrical body equally well in all four directions, due to a special wheel design by Jacques Virchaux. There is a wheel in the centre of each side, parallel to that side. Each wheel has 16 tiny wheels spaced around its perimeter, each axis tangential to the rim. The large wheels are powered, while the tiny wheels rotate freely. To move forward, the two side wheels propel, while the tiny wheels on the front and back are turned by the floor. To adjust sideways in the passage, the front and back large wheels are turned slightly. The sensors were five LEDs on each corner, set up to find walls and correct position whether moving forward or sideways. It would move rapidly to the centre of a square, and then oscillate a bit to check its readings before dashing to the next square. The team claimed that it could explore a 16 by 16 maze in about fifteen minutes, and then would run the shortest path in thirty seconds. The usual starting sequence was that the "mouse trainer" aligned the mouse, and then counted down from five, so that the timing official could synchronize the clock. When LAMI was about to start, the official thought there was a language problem, and so repeated the instructions. The trainer, standing several feet from the mouse, then counted down, and the mouse started without being touched. The audience liked that! It turned out that a ten second initialization period was a side effect of the software. The problem with precision-built LAMI was that it was built for equally precise mazes. On the first run it moved twenty squares, and then became confused on a taped floor seam. On its second, it touched a side wall and in the trainer's words: "lost synchronization"." – On Micromice and the First European Micromouse Competition, Wayne H. Caplinger, AISB Quarterly issue 39 December 1980.

[boxboxblog]

How Do F1 Cars Work?: Braking, Cooling, Sensors

I never know how to start these posts. Let's dive in.

Braking and Cooling

Brakes are an incredibly important part of any car, but most especially in F1. With the speed and power the cars have a sensitive, sturdy, and strong braking system must exist. In the case of modern cars, F1 uses an extremely efficient and durable carbon-carbon disc brake system. This allows the car to screech to a halt in a split-second, and allows drivers to use their speedy reaction times to the best of their ability. When the driver steps on the brake pedal, it compresses two master brake cylinders, one for the front wheels and one for the rear, which generate fluid pressure.

For the front tires, the fluid pressure is delivered directly to the front brake calipers (part that houses brake pads and pistons). Inside each caliper, six pistons clamp pads against the disc and it is this friction that slows the car down. For the rear tires it is a bit different.

At the rear, the car can brake by three separate sources: friction from the brakes, resistance from the spinning engine (engine braking) and electrical braking that results from harvesting energy from the MGU-K . Although the driver can adjust each of these on his steering wheel, when he presses the brake pedal, the three systems work together via the Brake By Wire (BBW) system.

When the driver presses the pedal, the fluid pressure generated in the rear braking circuit is picked up by an electronic pressure sensor. The signal from this sensor represents the overall rear braking demand from the driver and is passed to the Electronic Control Unit (ECU) where it is turned into a series of commands to brake the rear of the car. The ECU distributes its efforts to the three systems according to the the set up of the car and this is altered by the way that the driver has adjusted the switch settings on the steering wheel. This is what teams mean when they say changing the setting on the car.

Going hand-in-hand with braking, cooling is another important part of the car, especially for brakes. Basically, there is a series of systems that cools the power unit, brakes, and electronics. If the car overheats, it can lead to damage and lack of performance. There are a few ways to cool. Radiators cool the engine and hybrid system. Intercooler cools the air that the turbocharger compresses before it enters the engine. Brake cooling ducts bring air to the brakes in order to stop them from overheating.

2. Electronics and Sensors

So i'm sure many of you have looked at the steering wheel and been baffled that this thing that looks like a Nintendo Switch steers that car. The F1 steering wheel is incredibly complex and has a variety of buttons, screens, and knobs. For example, on the steering wheel is an area for strat settings, where their plans for all eventualities are mapped out. There is also a rotary knob for MGU-K settings, where drivers can switch around when faced with possible failures. The menu allows drivers control over every setting in the car. Beyond that there is the pit lane speed button, gear change buttons, race start button, energy recovery button, and brake balance knob, among others. It really tells you how much drivers do in a race beyond racing.

Other than the steering wheel, there is also the telemetry, over 300 sensors which gathers race data and sends it back to engineers on the pit wall. This way, engineers can either remotely alter settings and strat, or advise the driver on what to do.  F1 uses a customized mesh wireless network system based on WiMax 802.16 at each racetrack. The sensors record data, which is then temporarily stored in the Electronic Control Unit (ECU), which controls functions like engine performance and power steering. That sensor data then travels wirelessly to a centralized location managed by F1. F1 then sends the data to the relevant team, of course very securely. Teams then use a system called Advanced Telemetry Linked Acquisition System (ATLAS) to view and analyze sensor data.

The final pretty important electronic devices on an F1 car is the many many cameras. The most recognizable camera is found in the "T" structure that sits atop of every F1 car. It gives viewers that top-down, forward facing view used often by broadcasters. this is also how viewers often distinguish between cars of the same team. One driver will have a yellow camera, the other has black. The two nose cameras provides a view of the front wing and low circuit. The 360 camera is on top of the chassis and provides a wide view of the race track, and everything else around the car. The driver facing camera is pointed directly at the driver and helps keep track of how they are doing, and in the event of the crash helps marshals and rescuers figure out the best way to help. The two rear cameras are settled on a rear facing structure, and allows the pit wall to see what is going on directly behind the driver and advise. Beyond these ones, drivers also have cameras inside their helmets, showing exactly what they see. Can't get away with much in an F1 car.

3. How They Work Together

So, we now know the basics of most parts of the car. But these parts all must work together before that car will go anywhere. How do they do it?

One of the more obvious relationships is between aerodynamics and power. The better the aerodynamics, the more usable the power is. They also work in tandem around different parts of the track. On corners the aerodynamics keep the car stable while the power peters off. On straights the power keeps the car boosted. Suspension and tires are also very connected. It is the suspension that keeps the tires on the ground. A good suspension will also mean that the tires are easier to manage, something any driver knows is highly important. Brakes and ERS are also connected because the brakes help recover ERS, pretty simply. Also the cooling system works with most of teh car, cooling engine, tires, and brakes. The biggest connection is probably between all the sensors on the car. They are connected to every single part, and even a small bit of damage can destroy them. The non-sensor components have to accommodate for the sensors and work perfectly with them in order for proper data to be sent back.

The ultimate goal of engineers is to create a car that works in harmony all together. The integration of the engine to the chassis is highly important. There have been cars that the parts were fantastic on their own, but the minute they were put together stopped working completely. Its why teams that produce their own engines have such a leg up over non-manufacturers. Its also why sometimes you will see a car that is running poorly until one small thing is changed, and then suddenly its brand new. Car harmony really is terribly important.

Alright, done! While I covered most of the important stuff, as always if there is any particular part of the car anyone wants me to dive deeper into, please let me know.

Cheers,

-B

[grogumaximus]

As a performance engineer, he is the man who keeps an eye on all the data in a complex world like Formula 1 and leaves no stone unturned to see how to get even more speed out of the RB20. “For example, I can see how the tires behave individually, how high the temperature of the brakes is and how the hybrid systems of the engine behave,” says Hart in the Red Bull hospitality area.

Together with Lambiase, Michael Manning and David Mart, he is part of the regular group of engineers around world champion Verstappen.

“And GP is the one who talks to Max during sessions, so he has to filter all our information and assess what he finds relevant to pass on to Max. And then as a driver he now has an enormous library of experience. Max is ultimately the best sensor. He senses what he is up against and can make it very clear whether he wants to try something different and what exactly. He is very direct and knows what he wants. There is no room for politics or bullshit.”

In order to be able to empathize with Lambiase's work, Hart occasionally takes his position as race engineer, as was the case on Friday during both training sessions in Imola. Hart explains how a weekend is broadly divided.

“First we have to make sure that the car behaves as we expected. Then we look at how we can get more out of the speed over one lap. Where do we lose time in the bends, does Max feel limited somewhere at the beginning or at the end of such a bend? We then look at the longer runs and how we can protect ourselves against possible dangers.”

With the help of his engineer, a driver can adjust the necessary things on his steering wheel, for example when it comes to the brake balance or the differential. As far as Verstappen and Red Bull are concerned, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix last year is a good example of this. For Verstappen, that race in Baku was the turning point in the season.

“In those first four races, Checo (teammate Sergio P��rez, ed.) and Max were close together. But in terms of setup and the tools he uses, Max has gone in a completely different direction since that race in Baku. He has twelve so-called switch positions that he can use. He tested many of them in Baku, while normally you use two or three in a weekend. Max learned a lot then, and so did we."

Since that race in Baku, more than a year ago, Verstappen has not won only three races. While the Dutchman himself is almost never completely satisfied with how a race weekend is going, this also appears to apply to his engineers.

“Coincidentally, we were still talking about it together on Thursday evening. We as engineers are a bit like the goalkeepers in football. It's only when we make a big mistake that it becomes noticeable. We have to keep pushing to see if we can improve anything in areas where we are not yet performing optimally. And even if we are faster than the rest in every corner, we are still not satisfied and we look at where we have left something behind. Everything worked great in China, and then in Miami with the same car we didn't have the speed. And then afterwards you can understand so well why that is, here in Imola there is a completely different asphalt, the conditions are different and the tire compounds are also different.”

Given the immense pressure and expectations, Hart considers Verstappen's victory in 2021 in front of his own audience in Zandvoort as his personal highlight. The Englishman started working as Alex Albon's performance engineer in 2020 before being transferred to Verstappen the following year.

“With Alex we mainly looked at how we could close the gap with Max with the same material. With Max you look less at the other side of the garage. His experience, not only in Formula 1 but also with other cars, helps us. Actually, after a racing weekend I am also a kind of translator. In the debrief Max tells us what his limitations were. Drivers speak their own language. We then look at his words with the people in the factory in combination with the collected data.”

And yes, Verstappen may be the most important sensor, but he also sometimes has to rely on the information from his engineers on the pit wall and in the garage. They now have the complete overview.

“Especially in races where we play the longer game ,” says Hart. “We can see what the lap times of the other drivers are and how the different tires are worn. For example, if we say that Max needs to change something on his handlebars, he may well think: the balance is now just right. But then we have to prepare for later in the race. If you wait until the front tires are on, you will be too late. We always have to think one step ahead, otherwise you go too slowly.”

[e-carlease]

And amazing options like the new Renault 5 EV will be high on the agenda. This “hot-hatch” has taken the UK’s BEV market by storm and is aiming to not only become a top-seller but to win an array of awards … already awarded the “car of the year” in 2025 the R5VOLUTION is poised to do much more.                      

Customers can head to Renault to choose between 3 essential options including:

Evolution - from £22,995 this will include 18” black alloys, 10” openR media screen, air conditioning, handsfree key card, LED lights, heat pump, wireless smartphone replication, 11kW AC charging and V2L Bidirectional charging ready, vehicle sound, cruise control, rear parking sensors, emergency brake assist and heat pump; 

Techno - from £24,995 this will add 10” digital driver display, Google built-in, adaptive cruise control, shark antenna, rear-view camera, central armrest, electric mirrors, V2L adaptor an “5” charging indicator on the bonnet; and

Iconic Five - from £26,995 this adds 18” chrono alloys, heated steering wheel, driver lumbar adjustment, active driver assist, blind spot warning and heated front seats.

But how does the new R5 perform? 

52 kWh 150ps - (this has a usable battery of 52 kWh which offers 110 kW (148hp), top speeds of 93 mph and 0-62 times of 8.0 seconds. Real-world ranges suggest a combined 165 miles in colder weather with warmer temperatures to allow for 230 miles (on a full charge) - combined overall at 200 miles. The 11kW AC allows for 0-100% charging times of 5 hour and 45 minutes with the 100 kW DC enabling 10-80% in 33 minutes. It has a 156 mpg equivalent, 326L cargo volume and offers towing capacities of 500kg (Braked and Unbraked). There is a heat pump on this EV. This model has Bidirectional Charging with the V2L (via an exterior 3.7kW outlet), V2H and V2G all confirmed.

[hirocimacruiser]

1st gen Subaru Alcyone. Sold as a Vortex in Australia but we never got these FLAT-6 versions, only flat-4 in NA and turbo with choice of FF or AWD

Hyper technology for greater driver loyalty. Intelligent Express.

Alcyone 2.7ℓ FLAT-6

ALCYONE 2700/1800

The Alcyone is a car with a new concept that anticipates the motorization of the near future. Everything about it has been developed to ensure that the driver feels no burden or stress under any driving conditions and always performs at 100% of its potential. It features a number of electronically controlled mechanisms that realize the ultimate in speed through advanced automatic control, including the next-generation 4WD, Active Torque Split 4WD, and the high-performance 2.7-liter FLAT-6. These intelligent mechanisms dramatically improve the vehicle's dynamic performance and create an unprecedented feeling of high-speed movement.

PHOTO: 4WD 2.7L VX Black Mica

Next-generation intelligent mechanisms create a new driving experience.

FLAT-6

2.7ℓ FLAT-6 Engine with EGI System

EGI Horizontally opposed 6-cylinder 2.7-liter engine

Subaru's traditional horizontally opposed engine has been made into a 6-cylinder engine, the FLAT-6, with a large displacement of 2.7 liters. The ideal rotation and vibration characteristics of the horizontally opposed 6-cylinder engine create a smooth rotation feeling. The flat and powerful torque is only possible with a large displacement. And the excellent basic performance has been carefully tuned with the latest electronic control technology to achieve refined speed. The unparalleled individuality invites you to the pleasure that only the Alcyone can provide. (VX)

EGI turbocharged flat-four 1.8-liter engine

The unrivaled horizontally opposed engine is equipped with a high-performance turbo. In addition to smooth and powerful acceleration from low speeds, the response has been greatly improved by the advancement of the EGI system and tuning of the intake system. (VR, VS)

Electronically controlled active torque split 4WD

"Active Torque Split 4WD" maximizes the potential of 4WD. This drive force control system uses a computer to accurately determine the driving situation and road surface conditions, precisely controlling the torque distribution between the front and rear wheels. Always achieving ideal high-speed, easy driving. (VX, VR•AT)

All-range electronically controlled 4-speed automatic E-4AT

Smooth and soft shifting feeling, sharp response, and automatic control of power/economy shifting modes, highly accurate lock-up control, engine brake control, etc. are some of the latest technologies that have been incorporated into the shifting mechanism of this highly functional transmission (VX, VR-AT, VS-AT).

For more reliable operation of automatic transmission vehicles

●Key interlock

•shift lock

•reverse alarm

●AT select indicator is adopted

Electronically controlled air suspension system EP-S

Precise vehicle posture control and vehicle height adjustment. The optimal spring rate setting that makes the most of the characteristics of the air spring and the synergistic effect of the variable damper provide exquisite high-speed stability and a smooth ride.

ABS (4-wheel anti-lock braking system)

The sensor detects wheel lock in advance, which can easily occur when driving at high speeds or when braking suddenly on slippery surfaces.

The ABS detects the vehicle's position and electronically controls the brake pressure, providing excellent danger avoidance capabilities. The 4-sensor diagonal select low system provides excellent control even on roads with different friction coefficients for the left and right wheels.

Electronically controlled motor drive power steering

The latest power steering system uses an electronically controlled motor-driven pump for hydraulic control.

The system determines driving patterns based on vehicle speed and frequency of steering operation. In addition to speed-sensitive control, it also provides optimal steering feel even at a constant speed. (VX)

Cd=0.29*. High performance aerodynamic form

The first Japanese car to break the Coefficient of Air Resistance Co = 0.30 barrier

Breakthrough. Improved maneuverability at high speeds (CD=0.29) and quietness.

PHOTO: 4WD 1.8L VR Medium Gray Metallic/Fine Silver Metallic

[underatedwords]

notes from fp1 - monza

Track changes

kerbs flattened through the first chicane - easier to hit the apex

entire track resurfaced - very dirty so laptimes will decrease steadily throughout the wknd, track temp perhaps higher than expected

Updates

ferrari have reshaped their floor body, fences and edge, their diffuser and engine cover to improve losses and flow conditioning downstream. they've repositioned the nose camera and mirror stay to imprint flow quality rearwards

mclaren have reprofiled their sidepods to impotence flow conditioning at the rear of the car

vcarb have reprofiled their floor to increase local downforce and improve flow downstream

sauber have also reprofiled their floor and diffuser to increase local load and improve flow downstream

haas have reprofiled their lower wishbone and pushrod fairing to complete their front suspension update

FP1

kimi antonelli in for george

franco colapinto's first session replacing logan

charles started the session w a suspected sensor issue but stayed out w no further problems

red flag, 10mins into the session - kimi span out and into the barriers at parabolica, front wing broken, floor damage from the gravel and potential damage to the new PU in george's car as well

charles struggling w oversteer - nearly dropped it at the first lesmos

carlos and kevin to the stewards after the session for impeding - kevin was going very slowly through a high speed corner

carlos went onto the runoff at parabolica, but kept it off the gravel - lost the rear mid-corner

perez also off and over at parabolica

ferrari struggling with brake warm up, affecting their entry into corners

franco went off through the gravel at parabolica right at the end of the session - returned to the pits safely

franco ended the session 0.660s off of alex

lance, lewis and mv all dipping wheels into the gravel at lesmos

lewis reporting that his 'seat is getting very hot' towards the end of the session

mv reporting lots of wheel lifting, esp through the chicanes

most laps - lando w/ 26

least laps - alonso w/ 18, kimi w/ 5

[cr4shdummy]

during q1, simon mentioned that most teams run bikes with shorter swingarms during wet races.

for the uninitiated, the swingarm connects the rear suspension to the rear wheel. it also distributes weight to the rear, which is especially prescient in low-grip conditions.

a shorter swingarm is advantageous in the wet because it puts more weight on that back tire, generating more grip. on a street bike, this would increase wheelie and end up sacrificing speed. imagine the weight distribution of the bike like a scale; more weight on the back means the front is lighter, and has a higher chance to lift up.

however, racebikes don't have this problem due to anti-wheelie electronics. motogp bikes utilize a very sophisticated anti-wheelie system that you don't see on street bikes, but the essential function is the same: when a sensor detects that the front wheel is picking up, the electronics cut power. the difference is that motogp bikes can shut off specific throttle bodies, rolling off the power smoothly.

motogp bikes are absolute weapons, and there's even more going on under the surface that we don't know about. i understand why some fans and riders alike criticize current motogp for its overwhelming use of electronics, but anti-wheelie was one of the first electronic features added, and is essentially standard across all bikes, so there isn't a big gulf in performance between teams. switching swingarms, as a strategy, has very little to do with electronics. i think both of these practices are perfectly fair and deserve to continue, and they're not really at risk of removal anyway, unlike holeshot, traction control, etc.

[starsheild]

Partner: Part 2

A half an earth year working together and Prowl still knew little about the human he worked with beyond what had been revealed in her personal file. The file itself was very complete. Sierra Hunter had no family left- her parents had died when she was young and her brother had been killed when his vehicle was struck by a drunk driver.

She never spoke of her friends or of what she did after work hours. As far he knew the only change in her routine had been when Prowl discovered that she utilized public transportation to and from the station on a daily basis.

It had been a simple matter to retrieve her file and discover the address of the apartment she rented. And even though she had offered a token protest the first morning she had walked out the door and found Prowl waiting out front for her, when he dropped her off that night she had stepped away so he could close his door and paused.

"So is this a regular thing and I can stop worrying about my bus fare, or was it a one time thing to celebrate the fact that we've been able to stand each other for two months?"

"I will be here in the morning at 0900."

She'd nodded. "See you then."

Prowl had not understood initially why the two months were so significant, except that it was an even number, and humans did seem to like their even numbers. But that night when was sitting in the garage and did a little more digging, he discovered something that had originally escaped his notice.

Sierra Hunter had not kept a partner for more than two months since her first one was shot off duty and later passed away from the injuries. The date was a rather significant marker for both of them, and just maybe an indication of a new direction in both of their lives.

The same human was now pacing circles around Prowl, cup of coffee in hand and more than half empty, to judge the speed of her circling. "So because they had targets in that area consistently hit they want us to start patrolling it. But it's not going to make a difference."

"You seem very convinced of this fact." Prowl commented, finally giving in and allowing his passive sensors to track her movement. It wasn't worth the energy to keep his active sensors on her the whole time.

The hand that wasn't holding the all important coffee waved expressively. "I've seen this pattern before. There are enough high-end neighborhoods in that area they can take their pick. At the first sign of an actual police- not rent-a-cop- presence they will move on to another neighborhood. Fresh victims. We'll investigate. Reach the same conclusion as we did with this set of crimes, and then we'll start all over again from square one."

Prowl hummed thoughtfully. "Would it not make more sense to schedule a patrol in all of the locations deemed to be at risk as a preventative measure?"

"Lack of man power. I suggested that a long time ago and they keep insisting that there is not enough man power."

Prowl crunched the numbers and he had to admit that at least this time they were not lying. At least when the only available officers were the local ones there were too many neighborhoods to cover them without a large number of officers performing a number of over time shifts.

"Random patrols then, if it what you fear does occur."

"That could work, so long as there are no leaks." Sierra mused, stopping in front of him and finishing the last of her coffee.

Prowl opened the door for her. "We should be on our way, if you are going to get another coffee before we start our patrol for the evening."

Sierra slid gracefully into the drivers seat, hands coming to rest lightly on the wheel. Initially she had taken a completely hands off approach to riding along with the former Autobot, but the department had grown tired of the reports of a cop going down the road not holding on to the wheel. She had been ordered to find a compromise.

"How do you know I even want another cup of coffee?"

"Your caffeine intake has not reached it's normal level yet. I understand that this fact in general can be detrimental to normal function."

Sierra had started to laugh. "How did you know I hadn't had as much coffee as usual? Can you scan that or something?"

Actually, Prowl couldn't. His scanners were not tuned to reading the chemical make-up of a human on that level. But he still had an answer. "No. You were not circling me as fast as you normally do at your current level of agitation."

"That gave me away?" She sat back in the drivers seat, considering her partners powers of observation in a new light. Adjusting his systems so that they were all tuned to the local police bands Prowl set of down the road, and finally decided to voice a question that had been bothering him.

"Why do you do that?"

Sierra blinked, straightening in her seat carefully. No matter how many times Prowl assured her that normal motion in his passenger compartment did not disturb him in the slightest she was always so conscientious of where and what she was doing. "Why do I do what?"

"Pace around my vehicle mode while you think."

Sierra just raised an eyebrow at him. " Because I think better when my feet are moving and when I circle you I can still have a conversation with you?"

Prowl rumbled thoughtfully. "So different."

"Come again?"

"You are very different from all of the other officers they assigned to work with me."

"And you're very different from every other moron they've assigned me to work with. Probably the reason we are actually getting stuff done six months into this arrangement." Sierra commented, mind already shifting into work mode as they reached their route for the night.

This might get a rewrite some time in the future. It is actually a rather old fic, but one I am still very fond of.

[diabolus1exmachina]

SSC Tuatara (1 of 100). 

The jet fighter inspired teardrop canopy, which is suspended within the dynamic fuselage body, is complemented by vertical stabilizing fins at the rear, revealing the cars stunning speed capabilities. The streamlined design has been tuned to produce a near perfect front to rear aero balance, incredible thermal efficiency to ensure stability at all speeds up to its terminal ground velocity along with unrivaled high speed acceleration. The design of the Tuatara goes further than visual appearance. The intentional design of the body was meticulously crafted to carry the car through the air with unprecedented ease. Boasting an industry leading coefficient of drag of 0.279, the Tuatara is well balanced between unmatched aerodynamics and precision downforce at top speed.Rear static winglets, side mounted buttresses, forward static wing, and a rear active wing manipulate the smooth flowing air to distribute precision down force on the wheels. Air is also diverted to intakes that efficiently cool the powerful drive train, then expelled through perforations in the body to sustain the deliberate airflow. Downforce is systematically applied across the hypercar, providing perfect balance at all speeds.The heart of the Tuatara is an engineering masterpiece in and of itself. Years of meticulous design and engineering at SSC North America culminated into unadulterated power generated from an engine built from the ground up exclusively for the Tuatara. The smooth, balanced power produced offers both incredible performance and a unique hypercar experience. To ensure the engine met the standards of quality, performance, and durability that the hypercar market demands, SSC North America partnered with Nelson Racing Engines to fabricate and manufacture the V8 engine that powers this next generation hypercar.The Tuatara’s unprecedented power is transferred to a CIMA 7 speed transmission, integrated with a state-of-the-art Automac AMT system that operates the engagement and selection of movement in the gearbox. The system includes hydraulic driven components and sensors to produce high force engagement, position accuracy, and load control within milliseconds. The clutch and gear selection actuation are electrically operated, providing high precision and strategic operation. The core of the system is powered by a powerful automotive microprocessor, ensuring exceptional safety and performance.

[bellygunnr]

prompt: Bonnie treats Kitt3 right

Some discretion was taken with this. Mostly the ABS and such-- gotta assume that KITT and KI3T have the whole nightmare, even in the 80s. Bonnie isn't too flabbergasted by the tech because KITT is, as they say, the car of the future.

"KITT, turn your wheel all the way to the right, please."

KITT-- Three Thousand-- turns his wheel all the way to the right. Immediately, hands are all over his frame again, untangling the brake line from the wheel hub assembly. He uses a portion of his sophisticated sensory suite to watch Bonnie work, even as her face screws up in consternation, her most common expression since beginning maintenance.

And what maintenance it is! She's propped him up on jackstands and wooden blocks. It is a far cry from the gyroscopic, laser-equipped armory he's used to. It gives him time to reflect on what he considers normal. As it turns out, if a human is involved with his care, it is through a laptop.

But laptops do not exist here. And this time, his failure is... physical.

"You seem perturbed, Dr. Barstow," he says quietly.

Bonnie's face scrunches up. She fusses at the knot of sensors dangling from his front left wheel. With him unable to power down, it is a mess of data, all of it erroneous. But--

Not unwelcome.

"Not-- perturbed, KITT," she says, echoing him. "Just can't make heads or tails of what's going on here. Pretty sure it's not supposed to look like this, though. Is it?"

She brandishes some of the cables underneath his chassis. A curious location, but not useless. And it seems practiced, or at least embedded in muscle memory, as her shoulders drop several inches. Confusion is always so fascinating on humans. It's enough to soothe his irritation at his fouled eyes; the plastic sheathing has melted together.

"No, it is not. It appears I have melted the bulk of my wheel speed sensors on this side."

His fault. The 1974 Mustang II form he'd adopted had been, as Mike would say, slapped together. And consolidating all of his functions into such a tight package was, ah.

Not what he was designed to do.

Bonnie brushes her fingers across a piece of his subframe. It shouldn't feel like anything, but the nanoskin is more sensitive than usual like this. And it's a wholly novel experience. Humans do not touch him often.

It is... undeniably a positive impact.

Eventually, she pushes herself up to a standing position, silent.

KITT watches her raptly.

"Want me to see if any of, uh, KITT's parts will fit?" Bonnie asks finally. Once again, she seems 'put out', clearly trying to come up with a solution and finding none.

"I do not wish to impose. If my databanks are correct, replacement parts for my predecessor were... expensive. Nearly a quarter of the Foundation's budg--"

Her face goes gray. Wisely, he ceases speaking, because he likes her. If it'd been anyone else...

"Don't remind me. Jesus. Okay. Look, let me just see if they'll fit, okay?"

"Of course," KITT says. "I am not going anywhere."

Bonnie laughs and ducks out of the trailer. His analyzer reads it as 'slightly hysterical.' Perhaps the circumstances are painful for both of them.

[nn1895]

Quiet Fics: Garden

Garden

“We’re going out today,” Prowl announced, putting his empty cube into the spotless sink.  

On the front room sofa, Bluestreak’s wings flicked.  

“We are?”  he asked, pushing himself up to see over the arm of the couch.

It was the first sign of interest in months. 

Please work.

“We’re going to the garden shop to pick out crystals.  Finish your breakfast.”

Bluestreak threw back his helm and chugged the cube.

0-0-0

Prowl was not, by nature, a nurturer.  

Lead a desperate last ditch effort against impossible odds when the syndicate set its sights on Praxus?  Absolutely.

Recategorize the ENTIRE file room because someone auto-sorted all the dates, but not the rest of the file?  He had a hot cube of energon and a fresh packet of rust sticks ready.

Crack his entire pelvic casing in a high speed crash?  A welcome sacrifice. 

Mentor new recruits?  

….he’d make sure to crash harder next time.  

It wasn’t that he disliked younglings or cadets.  He just preferred to let others deal with them during all of the awkward growing stages.  Like the “shoot themselves in the pede” stage and the “I’m certain I can do everything on two hours of recharge” stage.  

Then his cousin Spiral had been offlined during a routine surgery and there had been no one else to take in his grief-wracked sparkling.

So here he was, dead center in the “my whole world has crashed down” stage, with a sparkling he’d only met once at a family reunion.  Absolutely every decision he’d made so far had been shots fired so haphazardly in the dark he probably wouldn’t know if he’d hit a target until the sparkling was an adult.

They stepped out onto the quiet street and transformed.  It took a few tries for Bluestreak to maneuver behind Prowl, but it was getting less awkward each time they went out.

“The garden shop is on the other side of the city,” Prowl commed him.  “I’ll let you know when we get close.”  

He got a near silent, “Thank you, Uncle Prowl,” in return.

Towing was a new experience.  And…not an unpleasant one.  The (thankfully rare) times he’d had to tow injured enforcers had been spent trying to get them to let him drive.

The sparkling, on the other servo, was content to let Prowl pull him through the dense, Praxian traffic, without trying to steer or brake, wheels spinning freely.  

Bluestreak had even less experience with it all than Prowl.  It had been only a few days of cohabitating before Prowl had discovered that the sparkling had simply never been taken anywhere.  It explained a lot.

The night of Spiral’s funeral, after Prowl had explained everything to Bluestreak, they’d stepped out onto the driveway and both frozen.

Prowl had absolutely no idea how to transport a sparkling that didn’t fit in his altmode and the sparkling wouldn’t be road-safe for several dozen vorns.  He’d seem older sparklings towed, was this one big enough?

Prowl looked him up and down as Bluestreak pretended to be fussing with his mourning decals. Probably.  Maybe if they went slow.

“I’ll transform here and tow you to the road.”  Anything said with enough conviction became fact.  “Transform behind me and I’ll engage the towline.”

The sparkling nodded, still trying to press out the bubbles from the black lettering across his forearm.

“Right.”  There.  Simple.

It was not, actually, simple.

The loud thump echoed over the soft crick-crick of the circuit-crickets.

“Sorry!” the sparkling nearly wailed after the fourth time he’d misaligned and rammed Prowl’s back bumper.  

“It’s fine.  Try again.  Just a little bit back and over.”  At least it was dark.  He’d have time to polish out the scratches before anyone saw.  Not enough to pop out the dents though…

Prowl was halfway to suggesting they try it the other way, but he was worried his sensors wouldn’t pick up such a small vehicle.  He still had a patrolbot’s sensors despite being years off of a beat.  They were meant to take more of a beating and be less sensitive.  The thin, fluttery field of the sparkling was nearly invisible to them.

“O-okay.”  Prowl heard the small wheels on the gravel shift and vented in relief as he felt the towline catch.  

“Got it!”

“Yes.  Good job, Bluestreak.” 

The praise was automatic, but with the way Bluestreak’s field warmed, you’d have thought Prowl was awarding him the Primal Award.

0-0-0

Prowl stepped into the shop and he was slammed back into his sparkling days with the force of a zero-G take off.  The two-story tall quartz at the back still towered over the ruthlessly organized seed crystals bins.  Everywhere, flickers of multicolored light bounced and refracted into a hazy sheen.  The smell of fertilizer and impurity packets coated his chemical receptors like cheap wax.

He’d forgotten how much he used to enjoy growing crystals.

“Uncle Prowl?”  Bluestreak inched closer, his wide optics full of twinkling colors as he stared.

“We’re going to start a tabletop garden.”  Should he?  The sparkling might not want- what if -

Bluestreak’s wings flickered up and down as Prowl cautiously settled an arm around his shoulders.  

“I don’t know anything about crystals,” Bluestreak admitted, but his doorwings were twitching more actively than ever.

“It’s not hard.  First, we pick out a few seeds and a nice shallow dish.  We’ll pick up some growth medium and some fertilizer.  Depending on the crystals we might even be able to get some impurities to make them different colors.”

“Really?  What kinds should we get?”  He was actually leaning into Prowl!  Success!

“I think we’ll start with a nice quartz mix - easy to grow, easy to keep indoors.  These are the bins here.  Pick whichever ones you like.”

Bluestreak stiffened against him.  Scrap.

“They’re all good ones,” Prowl continued, pretending not to notice as he steered a now-reluctant Bluestreak closer.  “Each crystal will grow well, even if it grows differently.”  Prowl dug around in the bin of loose seeds.  “See this one?  That crack just means that it’ll branch there.  It’s one of the smaller ones, but it’ll catch up.  Now you pick.”

Bluestreak reached out and hovered his servo over the bin.  His field flickered up and down Prowl’s in a mixture of dread, uncertainty, and the faint trust that had started to thread through it recently.  He picked up a large, pale purple seed crystal.

“That’s a good one too.  We need two more.”  Bluestreak’s next choices - both clear quartz - were chosen a bit faster.

“Now we’ll pick out a dish.”  Less dread, more uncertainty, a stronger vein of trust dividing them.

It was progress.

0-0-0

Prowl had only attended the funeral and the reading of the will because his creator had asked him to.

Spiral’s carrier had been his Aunt and his creator’s only sister.  She’d felt some sort of obligation to have someone there “from the family” that Prowl just didn’t understand.  His creator hadn’t even liked her sister.  Prowl certainly hadn’t liked Spiral.

Prowl had attended the reading of Spiral’s will at the request of the lawyer who had seen him arrive and cornered him in the second entrance room.  Apparently the reading was going to get heated and he wanted someone representing the other side of the law there.

More like he wanted someone to act as a bouncer that the funeral goers would think twice about before crossing.

Prowl didn’t think he had much to worry about.  The kind of bots Spiral attracted were thin plated, stylish types with more insulation behind their optics than processor.  Well, insulation and pure, black spite.

“-and to think I thought Spiral had such good taste!” one of them was saying loudly.  Prowl took more fried energon balls from the buffet and wished he was out on patrol.  Out on patrol in the shopping plaza. Out on patrol in the shopping plaza in the pouring acid rain.

“It’s positively tragic!” another bot agreed.  They were criticizing their dead friend’s taste in wall art.  At his funeral.

Like called to like, carrier had always said.  

Prowl turned to grab another serving of the fluffy goodies when he caught sight of something small pressing itself into a corner.  

It took him a moment to recognize Spiral’s sparkling.  He was very thin and covered in mourning decals.  Prowl vaguely remembered seeing him twenty - thirty? - vorns ago when he was just starting to walk and roll on his wheels.  He couldn’t be that old then.

“And those drapes!”  More high, brittle laughter and Prowl saw the sparkling flinch, his optics darting around the room.  He was edging towards the doorway to the rest of the house.  Ah.  Prowl wouldn’t want to be here if he was the sparkling either.  Who was even supposed to be minding him?  It was cruel to leave a newly orphaned sparkling alone like that.

“Officer!”  Scrap, the lawyer found him.  “Officer, we’ll be reading the Will and Testament in a moment.  Would you come with me?”

Prowl tossed his half full plate back on the buffet table.  

0-0-0

Bluestreak was analyzing the two crystal garden dishes as if he was deciding which of his servo to cut off.

“This one is more sturdy,” he whispered, “but this one has better drainage.  I like the color on this one more, but I think this one will match the crystals.”

It was the most he’d heard the sparkling say since they’d met.

“Is matching the crystals important?” Prowl asked, hoping to keep him talking as he shifted the weight from one arm to another.  His arms were weighted down with growth medium, impurities, seed crystals, misters, and two beginner care books.

“Of course.  Everything you bring into your home is a statement about your taste.  You wouldn’t want something in your hab to clash.  What would bots say?” Bluestreak answered with frightening automaticity.  Then he flinched.  “I mean…”

Prowl had seen Bluestreak’s mouth move, but the words were all Spiral, the fragger.  He had enough time to lecture his sparkling about ‘taste’ but not enough to tow him to the nearest playground?

“I’m sure Sergeant Strongarm appreciates your consideration.  Next time she visits we’ll point out to her that we selected this dish to match the patches on the wall AND the stain on the kitchen floor.”  That startled a laugh out of the sparkling.  Finally!

“Visits?  You mean next time she drags you home from work?”

There!  A twinkle of mischief!

“Same thing.  I think you should get this one,” Prowl said, tapping the teal dish.  “You said you liked this color better.  Me too.”

“Okay.  Now we’ll go buy them?”

“Yes.”  Prowl took the rejected dish and set it back on the shelf.

“Did we get everything?”

“I think so.  If now, we can always come back.”

“Hey, Uncle Prowl?  Why is everything so damp?” 

“They spray the crystals in the morning.  It helps them grow and makes them shinier so bots will want to buy them.  Here hold this.”  He handed Bluestreak the lighter bags and took the teal dish.

“How do you know so much about growing crystals, Uncle Prowl?” he asked as they wove through the aisles.

“I used to grow them before I left home.  My creators still have a few of my larger gardens.”  He got to hear them complain about them every time he called.

“Really?  Why did you start growing crystals?”

Prowl was thrilled with each question.  “I needed something to do in the evenings that wasn’t too expensive and my creator got me a datapad from the library about crystalology.  When I grew my first citrine I decided to -”

0-0-0

Prowl looked around, keeping the contempt in his field tight against his frame, letting the boredom leak through.  There were certainly more bots here than he’d seen at the funeral itself.  He was going to stay in the back, against the wall, in case any of them were spitting actual acid.

“WHAT!  I put up with his disgusting jokes for two hundred vorns and all I get is the vintage Lunar collection?!  I bought half of those pieces for him!”

“If you expect me to accept a third - A THIRD - of the Chrome Enterprises account then -”

“What do you mean he didn’t leave any money for the remodel?  I’m scheduling the dumpsters right now to throw out these tacky paintings and those cheap rayon rugs.”

“Those are my paintings and my rugs you glitch!  I SAID I’d get them in the morning!”

“PLEASE!  QUIET!” the lawyer shouted from the table in the front.  “You may not throw away anything in this house until everything has been distributed to its recipients.  I can arrange an emergency moving service if necessary.  Anyone caught interfering will be removed from the premises and charges brought against them.”  The bots grumbled, but quieted down, claws out and poisoned words at the ready.

“Moving on.  All of Spiral’s bank accounts have been transferred to his creators except for the joint ones which will be transferred to the other name on the account.  As stated, you have a week to collect the physical items from the house and the bank will be expected you for the items in his safety deposit boxes.”  He leveled a knowing glare at them.  “The bank WILL be checking IDs.

“Furthermore, any custody of the mechanimals in the menagerie needs to go through the WildLife Preservation society.  Once you sign, you are responsible for transport, housing, and feeding.  There is no stipend.”

“If there aren’t any questions, we can move onto the land deeds and then get your signatures on the paperwork.”

“What about the sparkling?” someone asked.

Oh.  That had been him.

The lawyer squinted at him and looked down at his notes.

“Officer Prowl?  Well, it looked like Spiral didn’t say anything about him.  If no one wants to take him in I guess we’ll call Sparkling Services.  That is the correct procedure, yes?  I’ve never dealt with custody cases.”

All helms turned towards Prowl who had also never had anything to do with custody cases, but he’d be damned if he let that show.

“I’m sure it won’t come to calling SS,” Prowl said, scanning the bots in the room.  “If Spiral didn’t make arrangements then the next of kin - “

“Pit no!  I don’t want a sparking.”  Spiral’s brother.

“There have also been cases where family friends have -”

“What?  I don’t have time for a sparkling.”

“Spiral wasn’t that good of a friend.”

“I’m going to one of the moons this week!  I don’t have time -”

“Doesn’t he get some sort of maintenance check or inheritance?” called a sulky young mech in the front who hadn’t gotten anything in the Will.

The lawyer clicked through the Will again.  “No, it doesn’t say anything about provisions for descendants.  Spiral didn’t arrange any inheritance either.  I guess his upkeep will fall on his new guardian.”  He shrugged and then turned to Prowl again.  “Will you make the call after the funeral?  The house will need to be packed up and distributed.”  There was nothing in his tone that indicated the sparkling was any different than the tacky wall art or the cheap rugs.

Prowl’s processor spun through the scenarios as the crowd settled.  If Bluestreak didn’t come with an inheritance, money or land, then he was valueless to these bots. Given the lengths Prowl had seen others go to, he decided that was probably a good thing.  No tragic accidents or quick arranged bondings.  But SS was already overloaded and it would be easy for a quiet, sheltered sparkling to be swallowed up by the system.  He didn’t want to make that call.

Prowl scanned the room again…

…family, friends, business associates.  None of them gave a damn about Spiral and none of them would take in his sparkling - 

- his pale opticked, thin fielded sparkling.

“No need,” he heard himself say, before the thought had fully formed, “I’ll be taking him with me once everything is arranged.”

0-0-0

Prowl watched as Bluestreak carefully unpacked everything from their shopping trip and set it on the table.

“What do we do first?” he asked, sounding like a normal sparkling for once, excited and eager.

“We’ll put the medium in first and then you’ll figure out how you want to arrange your crystals.  This is a tabletop garden so we can put them closer together.”

They poured the medium together to keep as much of it off the floor as possible and Bluestreak started flipping through one of the datapads for layouts, asking Prowl’s opinion on each one.

Then, somewhere between choosing a layout and showing Bluestreak the trick of mixing the impurities in the mister, Prowl’s world rocked and resettled.

He lifted his helm and looked around his tiny habsuite.  

He had a table and chairs now, because they couldn't both eat on the couch.  It was tucked into the corner with a pile of goodies they’d bought yesterday driving home from the grocery store.  

He’d finally nailed up those shelves to hold all of his mystery novels and Bluestreak had shyly set his own beginner readers up there.

The kitchen stain would be gone by next weekend - Prowl had bought the cleaner - and he’d set aside money to paint over the patchy gray walls.  He’s planned on picking the color together.

In a few minutes they’d have a fresh crystal garden to add to it too.  

“There!”  Bluestreak set the final wire in place to hold that first cracked seed crystal up against the taller amethyst.  He grinned up at Prowl and Prowl found himself smiling back, his spark spinning dizzily.

“It looks great, Bluestreak.  I can’t wait to see it grow.”

I can’t wait to see you grow.

Bluestreak’s face lit up.  “You think they’re really going to grow?”

“You did an excellent job.  They’ll do fine.”  That bloom of warmth again, a warmth Prowl finally recognized.  It had been coming and going in Bluestreak’s field since that first night - 

They’d arrived at Prowl’s tiny, barren habsuite in the early morning hours. The street was empty - too early for anyone in his part of town to be up - and still dark.  He could see his trash bins tipped over in the side alley, waiting for the garbage trucks.  His downstairs neighbor had left her holovision on again.  He could see the faint reflection of the news program on her window. 

The familiar place had not brought the comfort Prowl had hoped for.  Instead a cascade of doubt, failure, anger poured through his spark.  What was a bot like him thinking about bringing a sparkling - a sparkling! - back to this facade of a home.  He could barely handle the grown recruits, this was a young, grieving, vulnerable sparkling.

“I’m sorry,” the sparkling whispered and Prowl realized Bluestreak was shaking.

A young, grieving, vulnerable sparkling standing on the sidewalk, in a place he’d never been, after driving all night, the day of his creator’s funeral.

“There’s no reason for you to apologize,” Prowl said, trying to gentle his tone.  This was impossible.  He was called gruff on a good day.  

“I know you didn’t want to take me.  Creator said no one would.”  The sparkling’s shoulders hunched tightly up around his helm.  “I heard all his friends at the funeral.  I’m sorry you won’t get any money for it.”

Prowl felt all the indecision drain from him.  

Blinding rage would do that to a bot.

He vented.

“No…I’m glad to do it, Bluestreak.  I want you here with me.”

“You don’t have to -”

“I don’t have anyone,” Prowl interrupted.  “I’m glad to have you with me now.  Very glad, Bluestreak.”  Oh.  He didn’t know his voice could sound like that.  “I hope you’ll be happy here. With me.”

Bluestreak hadn’t answered.  He’d reached out and taken Prowl’s servo and followed him up the stairs and into the habsuite with its single table, single second-servo couch, and pitiful kitchenette.  

Bluestreak hadn’t let go of Prowls servo until he’d fallen into recharge on the lumpy couch, leaning up against him, both pretending to watch the holovision as the sun came up.

So Prowl was not a nurturing bot, but he was trying to learn how to be enough of one for Blue, because he deserved better than what Spiral had given him and Prowl would be damned if he failed like that.

[stevebattle]

Enterprise (1984) by David Woodfield, UK. Enterprise won the European Micromouse competition in 1984 and 1985 and the UK competition in 1986.

"At last in Copenhagen, at Euromicro 1984, Britain won the title back in the shape of 'Enterprise', grandson of Thumper. The shortest path was seventy squares in length, covered in an amazing twenty-seven seconds. David Woodfield (Enterprise) and Alan Dibley (Thezeus-5) won travel prizes donated by the Japan Science Foundation to join teams from Finland and Germany in the Japanese 'All World' contest in Tsukuba, held in August 1985." – Alternative Robotics: Robat and Micromouse – the Cybernetic Challenge, by Professor John Billingsley, Practical Electronics, July 1986.

At the 1985 World Micromouse Contest held in Tsukuba '85, Japan, Enterprise gained 7th place (40.91 secs) and also won the 'Science and Technology Museum Award'. "The award was given in particular for the hardware aspects. It is a lightweight three-wheeled mouse weighing 580g. Both the two driving wheels and the steering wheel are DC motors, and the steering wheel is directly connected to a rotary encoder." – Mouse: Journal of the Japan Micromouse Association, September 1985.

"A CMOS processor, the NSC800, provides the brain power along with 2k EPROM and 2k RAM. The NSC800 is based upon the Z80 processor. Dave was not impressed with this processor due to a buggy instruction set. Development was, however, made easier by the ready availability at that time of a Sharp microcomputer based on the Z80. Wall sensing is achieved by means of seven top-down reflective IR sensors, three on each side and one out front. these sensors are pulsed for about 25us every 1.25mm of forward travel. The pulsing is triggered by the front wheel mounted odometry sensor. Sensor outputs are AC coupled and high-pass filtered before being captured 20us after the pulse start. Energy is provided by 1/2AA NiCd cells giving a typical running time of 30 minutes. The drive train uses two motors with separate control circuits for each. D/A convertors provide analogue signals to set the motor speed." – Pete Harrison.

In 2001, Enterprise appeared in Techno Games, a British TV series that ran from 2000 to 2003. "It performed spectacularly well, winning the whole competition as well beating its opponent. … It shot out of the starting position in rapid time and never went straight into a dead end. Flawlessly, Enterprise darted around the maze into the centre at the incredibly quick time of 15.03 seconds, taking the Gold Medal. … For unknown reasons the round "head" of Enterprise is removed during its run." – Enterprise, Techno Games Wiki.

The video is an excerpt from "The first World Micromouse Contest in Tsubuka, Japan, August 1985 [2/2]."