How Formula 1 technology could improve public transport

  • McLaren Applied Technologies is working on integrating Formula 1 technology into Singapore's subway cars, the company's chief operating officer said Tuesday.
  • The research firm is also focused on personalized care in the health sector, she said.

McLaren Applied Technologies, the innovation and research arm of super-car maker McLaren, is looking to apply Formula 1 technology to Singapore's subway.

The British firm, which has long provided analytics for the international racing series, is focused on solutions for global motor sports, automotive, health and transport sectors, according to Chief Operating Officer Celia Gaffney.

Speaking to CNBC's Dan Murphy on the sidelines of Innovfest Unbound, an annual technology conference, Gaffney explained how Singaporean public transport operator SMRT could benefit from McLaren's expertise.

"We're adapting some of the loggers and sensors that we use on the F1 side of the business, looking at how we can put them on parts of the SMRT train fleet and then capturing that data, help them anticipate, simulate and predict when there might be failures."

Singapore's Raffles Place station during rush hour.
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Singapore's Raffles Place station during rush hour.

That means "trains are less likely to be late and disrupted without us knowing about it," she continued, adding that the project holds potential for implementation across Asia.

McLaren Applied Technologies is also making strides in health technology, she said.

"We're looking at how wearables capture data for patients recovering from a condition, gathering that and helping clinicians really personalize the pathway for patients, rather than putting them though something that's fairly vanilla and standard."

Disclaimer: McLaren and CNBC are currently involved in a multi-year partnership.