Examination summary

① Mechanical inspection
(Compliance with vehicle safety and design requirements)

They undergo rigorous testing to ensure they are fit for road use.
Inspections are conducted to ensure safety during the run. The staff who carry out the inspections are volunteer staff from car manufacturers and those who previously competed in formula races as students. If the car does not pass the vehicle inspection, it will not be able to undergo dynamic inspection, so this is the first hurdle for the team.

② Escape
(Driver escapes within 5 seconds)

In the event of an accident, you will need to escape quickly.
You have to escape within 5 seconds. This requires daily practice. Drivers are required to have not only good driving technique but also quick movements.

③ Flag
(Check the meaning of the flags used during dynamic review)

Check the meaning of the flags used during dynamic review.
Drivers must instantly understand the meaning of the flags displayed at each post while driving. This is necessary to drive the course safely. If you miss a flag, you will be penalized.

④ Electrical inspection
(Compliance with vehicle electrical design requirements)

This is a vehicle inspection that only EV class vehicles undergo.
The vehicle undergoes rigorous checks to ensure electrical safety. The inspections include equipment checks for high-voltage work, operation checks for low-voltage circuits to drive the vehicle, and application of high voltage. Unless the vehicle passes certain inspections, it cannot undergo mechanical inspection, so this is the first hurdle for EV class teams.

⑤ Tilt test
(Do not overturn with fuel leaks and driver on board)

Tilt it at a 45 degree angle to check for fuel and coolant leaks.
If fuel leaks, it could lead to a fire while driving, so two staff members check the vehicle. In the photo, they are checking that the vehicle will not roll over on a 60 degree incline with the driver in the vehicle. They also check that the driver will not be thrown off the vehicle when going around curves while driving.

⑥ Noise test
(Exhaust noise of 110dB or less under specified conditions)

I step on the accelerator and do a noise test.
Exhaust noise is below 110dB under specified conditions.
In our daily lives, a sound of about 100 dB is the sound of a train passing under an overpass. In terms of noise, this falls into the very loud category.

⑦ Rain test
(Checking insulation under rainfall)

Spray water on the vehicle body to check its insulation.
For two minutes, shower the vehicle with water from the top, then stop the water and continue to monitor the vehicle for two minutes without touching it to check for any leakage current. If there is no leakage current, the TSAL lamp on the top of the vehicle will continue to flash red, but if there is a leakage current, the lamp will turn green and stay lit.

⑧ Brake test
(Check that all four wheels are fully locked)

Check that the brakes are working.
The start begins when the checker on the left waves the flag. Once the team has gained momentum, they apply the brakes. (There is a staff member nearby with a fire extinguisher just in case.) Four staff members on both sides monitor each tire and signal if the tire is locked. If all four staff members signal that the tire is locked, the team has passed.

The costs incurred in manufacturing the vehicle are being reviewed.
The judges will proceed by asking the students verbally questions. If you don't have a solid understanding of even the smallest parts, you won't be able to communicate well to the judges. It's not all about using expensive parts. It's important to choose parts and components that will make your car safer and faster.

It's a tense presentation watched by the judges.
In the setting of a company that manufactures vehicles, the presentation materials include business plans for trends in the world and the design and manufacturing methods that are in line with those trends. In order to be successful as an engineer, it is not enough to simply manufacture products; presentation skills (how to show them) are also required. The presentation passionately explains how the product matches the market, and has excellent sales strategies and vehicle performance.

The design examination has a very high score of 150 points.
There is also an oral question here. However, you will not be evaluated just by building a formula car. You will be evaluated on your sense for building a formula car that is different from other teams.

The competition involves accelerating from 0 to 75 meters in a straight line.
Two drivers from each team can run twice, for a total of four times.
The top teams' times were in the low 4 second range.

Cornering performance was evaluated on a figure-of-eight course (8 laps to the right and 2 laps to the left).
Two drivers from each team can run twice, for a total of four times.
The top teams' times were in the low 5 second range.

The race consists of two laps around an approximately 800m course that includes straight lines, turns, slalom, and chicanes.
Two drivers from each team can run twice, for a total of four times.
Compete for the best time. Endurance will be run in the order of the fastest teams in this autocross.

The race runs approximately 20km on a circuit that includes straight lines, turns, slalom, and chicanes.
Each team's two drivers will be in charge of 10 laps each.
Evaluate the car's overall performance and reliability based on driving time.

Evaluate fuel and power consumption after endurance.