Computers chase the checkered flag

The buttons, knobs and levers on Michael Schumacher’s steering wheel offer stark evidence of the way computing has transformed Grand Prix auto racing. The wheel, about half the size of those in most passenger cars, is essentially a computer, with electronic controls governing hundreds of elements of the car’s performance and a display giving Schumacher an instant reading on his status, from his lap speed to his location on a course map.

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