Working The Wheel In The 21st Century

Cosworth’s impressive CCW Mk2 proves that these days a steering wheel is used for so much more than merely turning the racecar

Cosworth’s Carbon Wheel (CCW Mk2) is a lightweight, FIA certified, 280mm carbon steering wheel designed specifically for professional motorsport applications. Incorporating a high resolution, fully customisable display this steering wheel has found its way into a number of series; it is part of the FIA LMP2 electronics package used in WEC and IMSA, for example.

The 4.3in TFT display is complemented by a row of 10 shift lights and six alarm LEDs which can be customised for optimum driver feedback from both engine and chassis parameters.

Dialed in

Meanwhile, 10 fully programmable switches and six rotary dials allow for adjustments to be made by the driver at any time, accounting for both car and track conditions. CAN communications are the primary method for sending the button and rotary messages across to any control device, but there is also two programmable optoisolated outputs which allow any two buttons to be sent across as a directly wired signal. Similarly, the top two forward facing rotary switches can be sent as hard-wired signals. This set-up allows a certain level of redundancy in the driver controls, should any issues arise with the car’s electronics.