The Brazil-based, multi-national technology company FuelTech and its FuelTech USA subsidiary debuted a revolutionary new vehicle management unit platform dubbed VisionFT during the 2022 Performance Racing Industry Show in Indianapolis.
The FT700 and FT700 Plus are the first products coming under the Vision FT line and they are the most powerful and advanced engine/vehicle management systems from this industry leader.
The new generation of FuelTech is being ushered in after three years of development and its hardware capabilities will be realized for years to come. FuelTech founder Anderson Dick explained, “This new line is our vision of a new future with—what we consider—the most advanced electronic vehicle management system in motorsports.” The FT700 and FT700 Plus are vehicle control units (VCU) and engine/power management systems that are compatible with internal combustion engines, hybrid powerplants and EV motors.
The entirely new platform and its advanced hardware come in two dimensions—FT700 with its 7-inch LCD touchscreen and the FT700 Plus that offers a 12.3-inch sized version. The larger screens are the first step in data display and capture. Connectivity is a major theme with Vision FT and they include WiFi and Bluetooth for seamless connection. The FT700 and FT700 Plus can live-stream data and telemetry to a laptop, desktop, tablet, or cell phone. Additionally, the crew chief can make live adjustments through any of those devices.
There are a lot of notable upgrades with the FT700 series and one of the big highlights are the input/output channels. Both systems are capable of 36 analog/digital/frequency inputs along with 8 high-speed channels, 6 differential VR inputs, and 4 CAN ports (three are CAN FD), LIN port, and SENT inputs. Even more impressive are the 50 output capabilities.
The fuel tables will remain the same as the PowerFT engine management systems, however, the FuelTech engineers added the option to view and control them using true VE (volumetric efficiency) mode in the VisionFT series. There is also a new mathematical reference that’s nearly unlimited to help deliver the right information to the tuner. Because there is never a one-size fits all, FuelTech has created user-defined protocols that can be custom built by advanced
calibrators giving them the ability to only be held back by their imagination.
The data logging capabilities are exponentially greater and include GPS location for road racing and drag racing. There are 64Gb of memory to house data logs and tunes, which is enough to store complete seasons of drag racing or multiple 24-hour endurance competition, and everything in-between. If that isn’t enough, dual USB-C port allows for added capacity or ease of data transfer. Also, part of the flow of information is the ability to add cameras and radio
communication through the ECU, which will also be displayed on the in-vehicle screen and live stream channel via Bluetooth or WiFi
The eight high-speed data logging channels are the first for an engine management system with those channels capable of recording up to 400,000Hz. This is designed to record combustion chamber sensors while going down the track. The regular data log channels operate up to 1,000Hz.
FuelTech makes it easy to update your FT600 engine management system to a VisionFT product thanks to the same main connector. The additional capabilities of FT700 and FT700 Plus are added in through three separate connections. The VisionFT is scheduled to deliver in mid-2023 with the FT700 estimated price set at $3,999 and the FT700 Plus entering the market at $4,999.
“The platform is so advanced and capable that it is unlike anything else you have seen,” stated Luis De Leon, Chief Operation Officer at FuelTech. He finished with, “We have only just begun to scratch the surface and have many new features and functions coming in 2023. Those will be followed by more product releases in 2024 and 2025 as the market begins to realize the true power and capabilities of the FT700 series.”
From a college project that began 20 years ago to developing the most advanced vehicle management system on the market today and tomorrow, that is why you’re seeing #FuelTechEverywhere
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