Sony and Toyota Bring Real-Life Racing Into the Game World
cartechboy writes: "Racing games on consoles are fun, but, ultimately, they aren't real. The difference between racing around a track on a TV screen and being behind the wheel of a real car on the asphalt is substantial — there's no reset button in real life. But Sony and Toyota have teamed up to blur that line with a new Sports Drive Logger device. It's a USB data logger that maps your real-world lines around a local racing circuit using the car's data systems and GPS coordinates. Using satellite positioning, pedal depression, steering angle, gear selection, engine revs, and vehicle speed, the Sports Drive Logger replicates this data in Gran Turismo 6. You use this data in the game's telemetry screen, or watch a virtual representation of the laps you've just driven, and even compare that data against your friend's data. If you're brave enough, you can compare your data to that of a professional driver's. Unfortunately this system is only available on the Japanese-spec Toyota GT 86 (a near-twin to the Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ in the U.S.) — for now."
And only available on three tracks in Japan. Certainly not my local circuit, and I would guess not most peoples local circuit here either. The article also mentions that other tracks are able to join, however I'm guessing this in only tracks that are in GT6, or at least could be in some future DLC. Ultimately it is neat, but being such a limited use case really not that exciting.
Central Ohio Home Theater Installation - The Theater People