Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/1408679
22 Turning insights into competitive advantages on the raceway TRD uses Amazon DynamoDB, as both a streaming mechanism and a long- term persistent data store. Amazon DynamoDB pairs with Amazon KDS and Amazon Kinesis Data Firehose to build a real-time streaming data analysis tool for competitive racing. The data Amazon KDS collects is available in milliseconds to enable real-time analytics. And Amazon Kinesis Data Firehose is the easiest way to reliably load streaming data into data lakes, data stores, and analytics services. The team then uses Amazon Athena to query data in the core data platform. TRD uses its data-analytics engine to process telemetry data from the car throttle, brakes, steering, and GPS. Then it provides real-time information and predictions to crews, which can make split-second decisions about pitting, tire changes, and other race strategies. "Let's say a caution comes out on a certain lap because somebody crashed into your car," explains Elliott. "Your driver tells the crew chief, 'I got hit,' but he's a mile and a half away, and the crew chief can't see anything. With everything linked up in the core data platform, the crew chief doesn't have to scroll through 5,000 pictures taken from a trackside photographer. We can put the right images in his hands, and he can make a decision whether to bring the car into the pits. The difference between 3 seconds and 30 seconds could be the difference between missing a lap or getting the driver in." Beating the odds with data analytics By powering its data analytics using AWS, TRD can be as technologically prepared as possible to achieve its primary goal: to win. "AWS has had a massive impact on our racing program. The ability to quickly and seamlessly use data to make racing decisions in real time has directly led to our success on the racetrack," says Jack Irving, director of team and support services at TRD. "Using AWS has helped TRD win championships." If another race car is faster, TRD can use data insights to quickly create a winning strategy. "We use the data that we're getting during the race to ask, 'Who's fast? What's the pace that they are currently setting? What's their average time? How does that look if they keep that pace for the rest of the race? Should we do something different because we're not quite as fast?'" TRD's savvy adoption of cloud technology is one reason TRD keeps on winning despite having fewer race teams than its competitors. "It's quality over quantity," says Elliott. "We put an awful lot of effort and emphasis into the small amount of people we have to try to make them elite. We're confident that the software that we've produced over the past 5 years and the tools that we've provided our race teams are some of the best in motorsports." INNOVATION: TRD