The Dakar Rally is a legendary desert racing event with associated connectivity challenges. Since the late 70’s it has become a phenomenon known to people of all continents, ages and professions.
Lithuanians also love to see Dakar, especially lately as more and more Lithuanian participants take part in different racing categories.
This year also marks a significant milestone for Teltonika as Vaidotas Žala and Paulo Fiuzo compete in Dakar, representing Teltonika Racing Team for the first time in history.
IoT advantages in racing
Teltonika Networks industrial connectivity devices have been successfully implemented and tested in harsh conditions at various races worldwide, including the hot and dusty sub-Saharan desert or the rainy European climate.
Although they couldn’t fit any of their products into the MINI X-Raid race cars raced by Vaidotas and Paulo in Dakar, they’ve upgraded their support truck by setting up a limitless, desert-proof connectivity solution.
This year’s rally, which took place in the desert of Saudi Arabia, started under the toughest conditions.
The already inhospitable sandy deserts have been inundated by torrential rain and turned into dirt puddles in some areas, posing another challenge for race crews who face extreme conditions.
In addition to dust, stones, radical temperature changes in Dakar, they also have to contend with mud and moisture.
Such unpredictable weather undoubtedly leads to a marked increase in accidents and racing car failures. They are also more strenuous for the racers.
A well-connected support truck can be a game-changer in such situations. Once the race car returns to the bivouac, the team can continue with check-ups and repair work while the drivers are able to rest but remain in touch with the crew if necessary.
The cameras installed on the support vehicle allow them to keep an eye on what is happening on site and keep up to date with the progress remotely.
Another great benefit of using industrial networking products is their high level of security.
Team members can connect their work and personal devices to the network and enjoy worry-free WiFi thanks to multiple professional security features and the easy-to-use hotspot feature.
Connectivity solution from Teltonika Networks
Teltonika Networks attaches great importance to the development of products to connect IoT devices into a reliable, secure and easy-to-use ecosystem. Considering that the rally crew doesn’t involve IT professionals, the simple structure and ease of use were key factors.
Using two dual-modem RUTX12 cellular routers ensured network reliability and increased throughput by load balancing across four different network providers.
On the other hand, implementing a PoE+ switch enabled quick and easy setup of multiple devices via plug-n-play.
Upon arrival, the team set up the solution in no time and was able to enjoy a stable internet connection right after inserting four different SIM cards from local operators.
Find out exciting news and more about our products every week at varia.org/blog !