Formula Student UK 2024 Rules PDF

FORMULA STUDENT 2024 RULES INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................... 4 CONCEPT CLASS INTRODUCTION.......................................................................

FORMULA STUDENT 2024 RULES INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................... 4 CONCEPT CLASS INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................ 6 CHANGELOG................................................................................................................................ 7 ABBREVIATIONS......................................................................................................................... 10 SECTION A – ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS............................................................................. 11 A1 COMPETITION OVERVIEW..................................................................................................... 11 A2 VEHICLE ELIGIBILITY.............................................................................................................. 13 A3 RULES OF CONDUCT.............................................................................................................. 14 A4 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR TEAMS & PARTICIPANTS..................................................... 16 A5 DOCUMENTATION & DEADLINES.......................................................................................... 22 A6 GENERAL RULES.................................................................................................................... 24 SECTION T – GENERAL TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS..................................................................... 32 T1 DEFINITIONS.......................................................................................................................... 32 T2 GENERAL DESIGN REQUIREMENTS....................................................................................... 35 T3 GENERAL CHASSIS DESIGN.................................................................................................... 38 T4 COCKPIT................................................................................................................................. 51 T5 DRIVER RESTRAINT SYSTEM.................................................................................................. 58 T6 BRAKE SYSTEM...................................................................................................................... 63 T7 POWERTRAIN........................................................................................................................ 65 T8 AERODYNAMIC DEVICES....................................................................................................... 67 T9 COMPRESSED GAS SYSTEMS AND HIGH PRESSURE HYDRAULICS........................................ 69 T10 FASTENERS............................................................................................................................ 72 T11 ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS................................................................................................... 73 T12 VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION...................................................................................................... 81 T13 VEHICLE AND DRIVER EQUIPMENT....................................................................................... 83 [DV ONLY] AUTONOMOUS SYSTEM.................................................................................................. 87 T14 [DV ONLY] AUTONOMOUS SYSTEM BRAKE.......................................................................... 92 SECTION CV – INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE VEHICLES........................................................... 94 CV1 INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE POWERTRAINS................................................................ 94 CV2 FUEL AND FUEL SYSTEM........................................................................................................ 98 CV3 EXHAUST SYSTEM AND NOISE CONTROL............................................................................ 102 © 2024 IMechE 1 Formula Student 2024 Rules  CV4 SHUTDOWN SYSTEM........................................................................................................... 102 CV5 LV HYBRID SYSTEM.............................................................................................................. 103 SECTION EV – ELECTRIC VEHICLES............................................................................................. 105 EV1 DEFINITIONS........................................................................................................................ 105 EV2 ELECTRIC POWERTRAIN...................................................................................................... 106 EV3 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS.................................................................................................. 107 EV4 TRACTIVE SYSTEM............................................................................................................... 108 EV5 TRACTIVE SYSTEM ENERGY STORAGE................................................................................. 116 EV6 EV SHUTDOWN CIRCUIT AND SYSTEMS.............................................................................. 123 EV7 CHARGERS........................................................................................................................... 126 EV8 TRACTIVE SYSTEM ACCUMULATOR CONTAINER HAND CART............................................ 127 EV9 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FORM................................................................................................. 128 SECTION AFV – ALTERNATIVE FUEL VEHICLES............................................................................ 129 AFV1 ALTERNATIVE FUEL VEHICLES............................................................................................. 129 SECTION IN – TECHNICAL INSPECTIONS..................................................................................... 131 IN1 GENERAL............................................................................................................................. 131 IN2 MOTORSPORT UK SAFETY INSPECTION.............................................................................. 134 IN3 [EV ONLY] ACCUMULATOR INSPECTION............................................................................. 135 IN4 [EV ONLY] ELECTRICAL INSPECTION.................................................................................... 136 IN5 MECHANICAL INSPECTION.................................................................................................. 137 IN6 [DV ONLY] AUTONOMOUS SYSTEM INSPECTION............................................................... 138 IN7 TILT TEST............................................................................................................................. 139 IN8 VEHICLE WEIGHING............................................................................................................. 140 IN9 [EV ONLY] RAIN TEST........................................................................................................... 141 IN10 NOISE TEST.......................................................................................................................... 142 IN11 BRAKE TEST......................................................................................................................... 143 IN12 POST EVENT INSPECTION.................................................................................................... 144 IN13 DRIVER EGRESS TEST........................................................................................................... 145 SECTION S – STATIC EVENTS..................................................................................................... 146 S1 STATIC EVENT NO-SHOW PENALTY..................................................................................... 146 S2 BUSINESS PLAN PRESENTATION (BPP) – FS CLASS AND CONCEPT CLASS.......................... 147 S3 COST AND MANUFACTURING EVENT – FORMULA STUDENT CLASS.................................. 151 S4 COST AND MANUFACTURING EVENT – CONCEPT CLASS.................................................... 156 © 2024 IMechE 2 Formula Student 2024 Rules  S5 ENGINEERING DESIGN EVENT – FORMULA STUDENT CLASS.............................................. 159 S6 ENGINEERING DESIGN EVENT – CONCEPT CLASS............................................................... 161 S7 LAP TIME SIMULATION (LTS)............................................................................................... 162 SECTION D – DYNAMIC EVENTS................................................................................................ 167 D1 DYNAMIC EVENTS GENERAL............................................................................................... 167 D2 DRIVING RULES................................................................................................................... 168 D3 WEATHER CONDITIONS...................................................................................................... 170 D4 SKIDPAD EVENT................................................................................................................... 172 D5 ACCELERATION EVENT........................................................................................................ 175 D6 AUTOCROSS EVENT............................................................................................................. 178 D7 ENDURANCE AND EFFICIENCY EVENT................................................................................. 180 D8 [DV ONLY] TRACKDRIVE EVENT........................................................................................... 186 D9 DYNAMIC EVENTS PENALTIES............................................................................................. 188 SECTION FC – FUTURE CHANGES............................................................................................... 190 © 2024 IMechE 3 Formula Student 2024 Rules  INTRODUCTION Formula Student UK (FS) is an educational challenge organised by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) for the purpose of educating and preparing students of engineering and other disciplines for their future careers. The competition is governed and executed in line with four key values: 1. Safety – to maintain the highest standards of safety throughout the event. 2. Education – to focus on providing the best educational experience for all those involved, including competitors, volunteers and visitors. 3. Openness – to be open to collaboration with other competitions and parties, to embrace new ideas and to allow different vehicle concepts to compete together within a common rule set. 4. Inclusive – to deliver an event that allows all teams to be at their best: new or established, elite or amateur, domestic or international. The IMechE is supported by volunteers from Industry and Academia that together form the Formula Student Organising Committee (the Committee). The Committee includes the IMechE Formula Student Project Manager and Project Executive and volunteers: Chairmen, Chief Judge, Clerk of the Course, Head Judges, Chief Scrutineers, Dynamic Events Captains and other volunteers representing key functional areas. The Committee is supported by sub-committees for Scrutineering, Dynamic Events, Electric Vehicles and FS-AI. The rule set for the competition is continuously reviewed by the Committee and updated at least once a year with the aim of providing the best educational experience for students and volunteers whilst maintaining the highest standards for safety. FS operates under a permit from the national motorsport governing body, Motorsport UK. The dynamic events are overseen by a licensed Clerk of the Course, supported by nationally registered marshals and officials as well as volunteers with industrial and/or Formula Student experience. The static events are judged by a mix of experienced engineering industry professionals (from backgrounds including motorsport, automotive, aerospace and supply chain partners) as well as recent graduates and learned academic authorities. The Competition is composed of three classes:  Formula Student (FS Class),  FS-AI (Formula Student Artificial Intelligence),  Concept Class. The Formula Student Rules consist of two documents:  Formula Student 2024 Rules (this document),  Formula Student AI 2024 Rules (driverless vehicle regulations). © 2024 IMechE 4 Formula Student 2024 Rules The scope of Formula Student 2024 Rules covers FS Class, Concept Class and any FS-AI Class regulations that are common and integrated with FS Class (i.e., a single rule within a rules section, denoted by [DV Only]). All FS-AI specific rules sections are defined in the Formula Student AI 2024 Rules. Therefore, when understanding the regulations for FS-AI class, both rule sets must be considered. These Formula Student 2024 Rules are written to be as closely aligned as is practicable with the ‘2024 Formula Student Rules/FSG Rules’, with specific targeted changes for the following reasons:  Mitigation of safety risks based on experience from the UK events, partner events and Motorsport UK regulator,  Relaxation of rules, in some but not all cases, which create a barrier to entry for FSAE based vehicles,  UK specific administrative items required to meet the educational goals of the competition as defined by the IMechE and the Committee. FS Class permits vehicles designed to Formula Student 2024 Rules/FSG Rules. Vehicles built to the Formula SAE Rules (FSAE) are also eligible but must conform to all relevant Formula Student Rules as defined above. FS-AI rules (Driverless Vehicles) define the regulations for the two driverless classes, where teams use their own vehicle (Autonomous Driving System Class - ADS) or the IMechE ADS-DV (Autonomous Driving System – Dedicated Vehicle) is used (Dynamic Driving Task Class - DDT).  ADS Class follows the administrative and technical regulation as defined in “Formula Student 2024 Rules” and the “Formula Student AI 2024 Rules” document, where the “Formula Student AI 2024 Rules” take precedent,  For DDT class all technical, inspection, static and dynamic regulations are covered by the document “Formula Student AI 2024 Rules” in addition to some changes to the administrative regulations where the FS-AI rules take precedent. The Formula Student AI 2024 Rules can be found on the Formula Student website. © 2024 IMechE 5 Formula Student 2024 Rules CONCEPT CLASS INTRODUCTION Teams may enter Concept Class, competing in static events only (Business Plan Presentation, Cost & Manufacturing, Engineering Design and Lap Time Simulation). Concept Class entries are assumed to be focused on ultimately providing an FS Class entry in a future competition year. Formula Student allows combustion engine vehicles, electric vehicles and alternative fuelled vehicles; it is assumed that Concept Class entries pay full attention to this important FS specific design brief. A key design choice for entrants is that of powertrain type. Teams must provide detailed understanding of this choice in their conceptual design decisions. There are several documents required to be submitted prior the event: the documents are those required for FS Class with some exceptions related to the running vehicle. Key Dates for Concept Class submissions can be found on the Formula Student website. The submissions required prior to the event are:  Design Concept Specification,  Engineering Design Report,  Engineering Design Spec Sheet,  LTS Input Deck,  LTS Model Validation Test Plan,  Business Plan Presentation slide deck,  Cost Report comprising,  BOM for Frame and Body only,  Cost Explanation File,  Supporting documents for Frame and Body only. NOTE: The requirement for pre-judging submissions of individual Engineering Design Score Sheet Category presentations may be added. If required, teams will be informed via email and the Key Dates spreadsheet will be updated. We aim to inform teams of this requirement no later than April for a June submission deadline. Penalties for lateness, non-submission, and poor-quality submission are as per FS Class. © 2024 IMechE 6 Formula Student 2024 Rules  CHANGELOG Document Version Change Formula Student 2024 Rules V1.0 N/A – New Baseline Rules V1.1 First formal release for 2024 competition V1.2 Various updates, see change log for details Rule Version Change A2.2.1 1.0 Clarified to make it clear that the rule only applies to reuse of a chassis in the Formula Student class of an event. A2.2.4 1.0 Revised rule to only allow reuse of the chassis if changing powertrain type. A4.5.3 1.0 Added requirement if the Faculty Advisor is not on-site at the event A5.5 1.0 Vehicle Status Report requirement removed. A6.3.1 1.0 Added requirement for team leaders to attend daily team briefing A6.4.6 1.2 Minor rewording for clarity A6.7.8 1.2 Clarified that personnel must walk alongside the front wing A6.10.2 1.2 Clarified ESO responsibility for managing work on TS in the pits T1.1.2 1.2 Added Bodywork definition T1.1.3 1.2 Added Cockpit definition T1.1.18 1.2 Updated diagram T2.2.3 1.0 Minimum radius increased from 1mm to 3mm. T3.2.1 1.2 Aligned min CSA of roll hoop tubes with SES T3.9.5 1.0 Updated as per Future Changes section from 2023 rules. T3.15.2 1.2 Clarified rule by adding objective energy value. T3.17.2 1.0 Updated as per Future Changes section from 2023 rules. T3.17.8 1.0 Revised bracing requirements to align with other rulesets. T3.17.9 1.0 Added specific requirements for honeycomb standard IAs. T4.3.4 1.0 Clarified that the positioning of the upper 300mm circle of the 95th percentile template. T4.6.2 1.0 Removed conduction isolation requirement as this is made redundant by the requirement for a 25mm air gap. T4.6.2 1.1 Reinstated conduction isolation for option ii) of radiation isolation only T6.1.10 1.2 Removed EV only as this is also applicable to LV and HV Hybrids. T7.2.2 1.2 Added LV Hybrids to this rule. T7.2.6 1.0 Clarified minimum catch-can volume requirements for CV water coolant circuits. © 2024 IMechE 7 Formula Student 2024 Rules T7.2.7 1.2 Added motors to this rule. T9.1 1.2 Added exemption for Gas Springs. T10.1.2/3 1.0 Revised wording to make it clearer that equivalent imperial fasteners are permitted. T11.1.5 1.0 Added max voltage for LV hybrid motor controllers & inverters T11.4.7 1.0 Added requirement for the colour of shutdown buttons T11.5.4 1.2 Added a requirement that the inertia switch must be installed according to manufacturer specification T11.7.8 1.0 Added restriction for LV hybrid batteries T12.1.5 1.2 Added LV Hybrid vehicle markings T13.4.5 1.0 Added requirement to demonstrate fire extinguisher purchase or servicing in the last 2 calendar years. T14.1.2 1.2 Replaced redundant rule with new requirement for the ASB to be within the Rollover Protection Envelope. T14.10.2 1.2 Added extra check for AS Finished state in State Machine diagram T14.11.4 1.2 Altered threshold for noise emitted by AS Emergency Alert to deconflict UK and Germany rules CV1.1 1.0 Added LV hybrids. Clarified that HV Hybrids are an AFV. CV2.1 1.0 Added sustainable fuel types. CV2.4 1.0 Various changes to align with other rulesets. CV3.1.3 1.0 Quantitative temperature added to rule, as per Future Changes section from 2023 rules. CV4.1.1 1.0 Updated figure for LV hybrids. CV5 1.0 Added Low Voltage Hybrids section. EV1.2.1 1.0 Clarified test voltage, added working voltage requirement EV1.2.1 1.1 Only require working voltage if specified on the datasheet EV2.2.1 1.1 Removed 60kW power limit for 4wd vehicles EV4.6.2 1.0 Specified which module of the Energy meter is referenced by this rule EV4.10 1.0 Aligned with FSG, but retained requirement for independent power supply. EV5.4.7 1.2 Changed from 50% of MAx TS voltage to 50% nominal TS voltage to maintain consistency with TSAL Red Light rule EV4.10.2 EV6.3.2 1.1 Added Bender ISOMETER® iso165C-1, A-ISOMETER® iso-F1 IR155- 4203 and –4204. EV7.1.10 1.2 Added labelling rules for chargers. S3.9.6, 1.0 Added rule that cars cannot be fuelled during static event if the car S5.4.6 has not passed the Tilt Test. © 2024 IMechE 8 Formula Student 2024 Rules S3.4-3.6 1.0 Updated to reduce the number of sections requiring a DBOM. S3.4.4 1.0 Removed the requirement to include fasteners in the DBOM. S3.4.5 1.0 Clarified requirements for bespoke manufactured fasteners S3.6.3/S4.4.2 1.0 Clarified requirements for R&D costs and some other capital overheads S7.1 1.0 Clarified available forms of support from the software provider S7.1.4 1.2 Corrected missing rule number reference S7.2.2 1.0 Clarified that LTS is a stand-alone event and submissions are not expected to match the team’s FS Class or Concept Class vehicle. S7.3.9 1.0 Revised damper curves to be a predefined set of force vs velocity curves. S7.3.9 1.2 Clarified available damping options D2.4.4 1.2 Added rule that a driver’s wristband may be confiscated for failing to follow instructions in the practice area D5.1.1 1.2 Removed redundant text on cone marking. D7.9.2 1.0 Added note that the efficiency factors are under review and will be updated in a later release of the rules D7.6.6 1.2 Clarified that vehicles with a puncture must reach the driver change area under its own power D9.1.5 1.0 Revised wording to be non-CV specific D9.1.6 1.2 Added time limit for Unsafe Stop definition D9.1.12 1.2 Clarified that failure to obey a marshal by also be penalised D9.1.13 1.2 Expanded rule to allow the addition of time penalties and the option to DQ the driver for repeat offence(s) © 2024 IMechE 9 Formula Student 2024 Rules  ABBREVIATIONS ADR Autonomous Design Report ESF Electrical System Form AFV Alternative Fuel Vehicle ESO Electrical System Officer AIP Anti-Intrusion Plate ESOQ Electrical System Officer Qualification AIR Accumulator Isolation Relay ETC Electronic Throttle Control AMI Autonomous Mission Indicator EV Electric Vehicle AMS Accumulator Management System FTO Fuel Type Order APPS Accelerator Pedal Position Sensor HPI High Pressure Injection AS Autonomous System HSC Hybrid System Container ASB Autonomous System Brake HSF Hybrid System Form ASF Autonomous System Form HV High Voltage ASMS Autonomous System Master Switch HVD High Voltage Disconnect ASR Autonomous System Responsible IA Impact Attenuator ASRQ ASR Qualification IAD Impact Attenuator Data ASSI Autonomous System Status Indicator IMD Insulation Monitoring Device BOM Bill of Material LPI Low Pressure Injection BOTS Brake Over-Travel Switch LV Low Voltage BPP Business Plan Presentation Event LVMS Low Voltage Master Switch BPPV Business Plan Pitch Video LVS Low Voltage System BSPD Brake System Plausibility Device MU Magazine Uploads CBOM Costed Bill of Material OC Off-course CRD Cost Report Documents OEM Original Equipment Manufacturer CV Internal Combustion Engine Vehicle PCB Printed Circuit Board DBOM Detailed Bill of Material R2D Ready-to-drive DC Driverless Cup RES Remote Emergency System DI Direct Injection RMS Root Mean Square DNA Did Not Attempt SCS System Critical Signal DNF Did Not Finish SDC Shutdown Circuit DOO Down or Out SES Structural Equivalency Spreadsheet DQ Disqualified TMD Team Member Designation DSS Design Spec Sheet TPS Throttle Position Sensor DV Driverless TS Tractive System EAIR ESF Add Item Request TSAC Tractive System Accumulator Container EBS Emergency Brake System TSAL Tractive System Active Light ECU Electronic Control Unit TSMP Tractive System Measuring Point EDR Engineering Design Report TSMS Tractive System Master Switch EI Flexural Rigidity USS Unsafe Stop © 2024 IMechE 10 Formula Student 2024 Rules  SECTION A – ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS A1 COMPETITION OVERVIEW A1.1 Competition Objective A1.1.1 The competition challenges teams of university students to conceive, design, fabricate, develop and compete with small, formula style, race cars. The envisaged “target customer” for these vehicles is an amateur (non-professional) driver. A1.1.2 There are three entry classes: FS Class, FS-AI Class and Concept Class A1.1.3 Entrants to Concept Class are to be designed based on being able to be manufactured and to then compete in FS Class in the immediate subsequent competition year. A1.2 Competition Procedure A1.2.1 The competition accepts entries for the following vehicle types:  Internal Combustion Engine Vehicle (CV),  Electric Vehicles (EV),  Alternative Fuel Vehicles (AFV), o High Voltage Hybrid powertrains are permitted in this vehicle type.  Driverless Vehicles (DV). A1.2.2 All vehicles must meet the requirements defined in Section T and Section CV, EV or AFV, depending on their powertrain type. A1.2.3 The competition starts with a series of technical inspections described in Section IN to check the vehicle for safety and compliance with the rules. A1.2.4 The competition is divided into a series of static and dynamic events described in Sections S and D. A1.2.5 The maximum achievable points for FS Class are listed in Table 1. A1.2.6 The maximum achievable points for Concept Class are listed in Table 2. A1.2.7 In either FS Class or FS-AI Class, if there are no finishers in any dynamic events, then no Overall Winner award will be given for that class. A1.2.8 The CV, EV or AFV team with the most overall points will win the competition. A1.2.9 The official language of the competition is English. © 2024 IMechE 11 Formula Student 2024 Rules  FS Class Points Static Events: Lap Time Simulation 20 Business Plan Presentation 115 Cost and Manufacturing 115 Engineering Design 150 Dynamic Events: Skid Pad 75 Acceleration 75 Autocross / Sprint 100 Efficiency 100 Endurance 250 Total Points 1000 Table 1: Maximum points awarded – FS Class Concept Class Points Static Events: Lap Time Simulation 40 Business Plan 120 Presentation Cost and Manufacturing 150 Engineering Design 150 Total Points 460 Table 2: Maximum points awarded – Concept Class © 2024 IMechE 12 Formula Student 2024 Rules A2 VEHICLE ELIGIBILITY A2.1 Student Competition A2.1.1 Vehicles entering the competition must be conceived, designed and maintained by the student team members without direct involvement from professional engineers, racers, machinists or related professionals. A2.1.2 The student team may use any information from professionals or from academics, provided this information is given as a discussion of alternatives with their pros and cons. A2.1.3 Professionals may not make design decisions or drawings. A2.1.4 Students should manufacture and assemble as much of the vehicle as possible. A2.2 First Year Vehicles A2.2.1 A vehicle must only compete for one competition year, it’s “first year”, counting from the first day onsite at its first competition. Such a vehicle is defined as “new”. A vehicle may not compete in Formula Student class of the same event (e.g. Formula Student UK FS Class) in the following season, even if two events occur within a one-year period. A2.2.2 A team may attend a competition with their vehicle as a “non-competitor” if the team were registered for the Competition but have officially withdrawn prior to the event and have written permission from the Competition officials. A “non-competitor”’ cannot take part in any official or practice static or dynamic events. Practice scrutineering and technical rule clarifications are allowed, where time permits, priority will be given to registered entrants. A2.2.3 To be classified as new, a vehicle must have a newly manufactured chassis, with significant changes in the primary structure to its predecessor. [DV Only] Driverless Vehicles (DVs) may reuse a previous chassis from any year, but must be fully compliant with the current version of the rules. The Automated Driving System shall be developed for each new competition year. A2.2.4 Teams may apply to reuse a previous year’s chassis only if they are changing powertrain type, from CV to EV, or CV to AFV.  Requests must be submitted via the Formula Student Question Database (FSQD) before the Structural Equivalency Spreadsheet (SES) deadline,  Requests will be reviewed by the Chief Judge or Chief Technical Scrutineer, their decision will be final. © 2024 IMechE 13 Formula Student 2024 Rules A3 RULES OF CONDUCT A3.1 General Officials Authority A3.1.1 The officials reserve the right to revise the schedule, date and location of the competition and/or interpret or modify the competition rules at any time and in any manner that is, in their sole judgment, required for safe and efficient operation. A3.1.2 All team members are required to cooperate with and follow all instructions from the officials. A3.1.3 Official announcements shall be considered part of the rules. A3.1.4 All guidelines and clarifications posted in the “Rules and Important Documents” sections on the competition website for the current season including the competition handbook are considered part of the rules. The “Key Dates” document is considered part of the Rules. A3.2 Official Instructions A3.2.1 Failure of a team member to follow an instruction or command directed specifically to that team or team member will result in 25 penalty points being deducted from the team’s overall score. A3.3 Arguments with Officials A3.3.1 Argument with, or disobedience to, any official will result in the team being disqualified from the competition. A3.4 Unsportsmanlike Conduct A3.4.1 In the event of unsportsmanlike conduct, 25 penalty points will be deducted from the team’s overall score. A second violation will result in the team being disqualified from the competition. A3.5 Violations of Intent A3.5.1 Violation of the intent of a rule will be considered a violation of the rule itself. A3.5.2 Any parts, devices or software fragments designed with the intent to violate a rule, will be considered as a violation. A3.6 Questions about the Rules A3.6.1 Questions about the rules may be asked to the officials. A3.6.2 The frequently asked questions (FAQ) section on the competition website must be checked before submitting a question. A3.6.3 The officials will only answer questions that are not already answered in the rules or FAQs or that require a new or novel interpretation. A3.6.4 Questions must be submitted to the Formula Student Questions Database (FSQD) which can be accessed here: https://teams.formulastudent.com/FAQ/AskAQuestion A3.6.5 Clarifications issued in response to questions about the rules may only be valid for one competition year. If you are submitting a question to reconfirm a previous clarification, the ID number of the original question should be referenced in the new question. © 2024 IMechE 14 Formula Student 2024 Rules A3.6.6 Clarifications issued by other events may not be valid at Formula Student, if you are entering multiple events ensure you check the legality of your design with all event organisers. A3.7 Protests A3.7.1 If a team has a question about scoring, judging, policies or any official action it must be brought to the officials’ attention within the announced protest period for an informal preliminary review before a protest can be filed. A3.7.2 A team may protest any rule interpretation, score or official action which they feel has caused some actual, non-trivial, harm to their team, or has had a substantive effect on their score. A3.7.3 All protests must be filed in writing and presented to the officials by the team captain. In order to have a protest considered, a team must post a 25-point protest bond which will be forfeited if their protest is rejected. A3.7.4 Protests concerning any aspect of the competition must be filed within the protest period announced by the competition organisers in the Team Handbook, or within 30 minutes of the scores of the event to which the protest relates being posted. A3.7.5 The decision of the officials regarding any protest will be in written form and is final. A3.8 Advertising Regulations A3.8.1 To ensure full compliance with UK and European legislation, teams are not permitted to display any form of tobacco or cigarette advertising on their vehicles or display areas. The organisers also reserve the right to instruct teams to remove or cover any other vehicle or display area markings that may be illegal or likely to cause offence. A3.9 Car Covering A3.9.1 Covering or obscuring any competing car or any part of a competing car is considered unsportsmanlike conduct. Teams could receive a penalty of up to 50 points for car covering, at the discretion of the Chief Judge. A3.9.2 During the entire Competition, except as permitted below, no screen, cover or other obstruction which in any way obscures any part of a car will be allowed at any time in the paddock, garages, pit lane or grid. The following are permitted:  A cover over the car in the garage or paddock overnight,  A cover over the car in the pit lane or on the grid if it is raining,  Covers on the tyres to prevent debris pick-up,  Covers over severely damaged cars or components. A3.9.3 Any car part stored in front of the car will be considered as an obstruction unless it is stored flat on the ground and does not totally or partially hide the car. Anybody standing in front of the car is considered as an obstruction to the visibility unless they must work on the car. A line of people in front of the car is strictly prohibited. © 2024 IMechE 15 Formula Student 2024 Rules A4 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR TEAMS & PARTICIPANTS A4.1 Teams per University A4.1.1 For FS Class and Concept Class a university may register two (2) teams for each class, if they are different power-train types (CV, EV or AFV). For FS-AI Class a university may enter one (1) ADS and one (1) DDT entry. A4.1.2 Notwithstanding A4.1.1, registration for Formula Student in the UK may be restricted to one (1) vehicle per class, per university, regardless of powertrain or vehicle type, depending on available space. A4.1.3 Teams which are formed with members from two or more universities are treated as a single team. A4.2 Team Members and Participants A4.2.1 Faculty Advisors are required to confirm that adequate insurance cover is in place, including but not limited to personal accident insurance for all drivers and public liability insurance (minimum £15m) for the team. Declaration that cover is in place must be provided when a place in the competition is offered, accepted and payment is due. Teams will not be permitted to participate without this confirmation. All participants who are not UK residents must provide proof of valid individual health insurance for the competition. This must be provided prior to attendance at any live event in accordance with the Key Dates document. Participants will not be accredited for any live events without evidence of cover. A4.2.2 All participants must sign the Motorsport UK liability waiver. This must be completed by each participant via their team member account prior to attendance at any live event in accordance with the Key Dates document. A4.2.3 A team member may only be part of one team, work on one vehicle and take part in static and dynamic events for only one team. Any teams found to be in contravention of this rule may receive a 25 point penalty. A4.2.4 Each team must have one team member identified as the Team Captain. The Team Captain is the main contact person for the officials during the registration process and the competition. A4.2.5 Persons who have previously attended any official event as a judge are not allowed to participate as team members. A4.2.6 Team members must be enrolled as degree seeking undergraduate or graduate students in any university. Team members who have graduated within the seven-month period prior to the competition remain eligible to participate. A4.2.7 Students seeking a post graduate degree or equivalent are eligible to compete. A4.2.8 Team members must be at least 18 years of age. A4.2.9 Team members who will drive a competition vehicle at any time during the competition © 2024 IMechE 16 Formula Student 2024 Rules  must hold a valid, government issued, photographic driver’s licence for passenger cars, or a recognised National Sporting Authority (ASN) approved karting or car motorsport licence. A4.2.10 Drivers who have driven for a professional racing team in a national or international series at any time may not drive in any competition event.  A “professional racing team” is defined as a team that provides racing cars and enables drivers to compete in national or international racing series and employs staff in order to achieve this. A4.2.11 Students studying at a UK university must be a member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers to compete at Formula Student.  International students with a ‘home FS competition’ may be a member of the engineering organisation that organises their home event (e.g. we will accept German students who are VDI members). If you do not have one of these home events in your country: SAE International, SAE Australasia, SAE Brazil, VDI, VDE, or ATA, your team must become IMechE members.  Student Affiliate membership is FREE to all Formula Student team members, regardless of discipline. To apply for Student Affiliate Membership:  Create or login to your Formula Student team account,  Select ‘Student Affiliate Form’ on the navigation bar,  Complete the application from and submit your application.  Team Leaders must ensure that all team members become IMechE members as defined in the Key Dates Document which can be found at: https://www.imeche.org/events/formula-student/team-information/key-dates  Membership numbers must be quoted in the Team Member Details section of your account prior to the event.  Faculty Advisor membership of an engineering institution is optional. A4.2.12 Students who became an IMechE affiliate member in a previous competition year do not need to apply again. They must inform [email protected] that they are continuing to compete in Formula Student in this competition year and supply their name and membership number. A4.3 [EV ONLY] Electrical System Officer A4.3.1 Every participating team must appoint at least one Electrical System Officer (ESO) for the event. The ESO(s) is responsible for all electrical operations during the event. A4.3.2 Where multiple ESOs are appointed, the team must clearly identify which ESO is responsible for which activities. Where responsibility is re-allocated, this must be done with the prior agreement of all ESOs involved. A4.3.3 The ESO(s) is the only person in the team who may declare the vehicle electrically safe, in order for work to be performed on any system of the vehicle by the team. A4.3.4 The ESO(s) must be valid team members, which means that they must have student © 2024 IMechE 17 Formula Student 2024 Rules  status, see A4.2.6, A4.2.7 and A4.2.8. A4.3.5 The ESO(s) must be contactable by phone at any time during the competition. A4.3.6 An ESO must accompany the vehicle whenever it is operated or moved around the competition site. A4.3.7 The ESO is not allowed to be a driver, unless a second ESO is named by the team who is not a driver. If the second ESO is also a driver then they cannot compete in the same dynamic event as the first driver, or a third ESO is required. A4.3.8 The ESO must be certified or must have received appropriate practical training, whether formal or informal, for working with high voltage systems in automotive vehicles. Details of the training must be provided to the organizers on the ESO/ESA form for approval. A4.4 [DV Only] Autonomous System Responsible A4.4.1 To operate the AS every participating team must appoint at least one ASR for the competition. This person is responsible for all autonomous operations of the vehicle during the competition, which includes any work on the autonomous system as well as racing and testing. A4.4.2 For vehicles with an electric drivetrain the ASR(s) must fulfil A4.3 and therefore replace the ESO. The team may not register additional ESOs. A4.4.3 The ASR(s) are the only persons in the team allowed to declare the autonomous system safe, so that work on any system of the vehicle may be performed by the team, or the vehicle may be operated in manual or autonomous mode. A4.4.4 The ASR(s) must be a valid team member, which means that they must have student status, see A4.2.6, A4.2.7 and A4.2.8. A4.4.5 The ASR(s) must accompany the vehicle whenever it is operated or moved around at the competition site. A4.4.6 If only one ASR is named by the team, the ASR may not be a driver. A4.4.7 The ASR(s) must be properly qualified to handle the autonomous system and to understand and deal with problems and failures. A bachelor’s degree in computer science, electrical engineering, mechatronics, automation engineering, robotics or similar is a sufficient qualification. A4.4.8 All ASRs are required to attend the team briefing as per the official Event Schedule for the live event. A4.5 Faculty Advisor A4.5.1 Each team must have a Faculty Advisor appointed by the university. A4.5.2 The Faculty Advisor is expected to accompany the team to the competition’s live event and will be considered by competition officials to be the official representative of the university, with responsibility for the behaviour and conduct of all team members during the event. The Faculty Advisor is expected to ensure that wherever possible the regulations and their university’s Health and Safety protocols are followed at all times. © 2024 IMechE 18 Formula Student 2024 Rules A4.5.3 If the Faculty Advisor is unable to accompany the team at any time during the event they must send a signed letter to the event officials, nominating who is responsible for the behaviour and conduct of all team members in their absence. A4.5.4 Faculty Advisors may advise their teams on general engineering and engineering project management theory. A4.5.5 Faculty Advisors may not design, build or repair any part of the competition vehicle or directly participate in the development of any documentation or presentation. A4.6 [EV ONLY] Electrical System Advisor (ESA) A4.6.1 The ESA must be a professionally competent person(s), nominated by the team, who can advise on the electrical and control systems that will be integrated into the vehicle. It is acceptable for the Faculty Advisor to be the ESA if all the requirements below are met. A4.6.2 The ESA must supply details of their experience of electrical and/or control systems engineering as employed in the car on the ESO/ESA form for approval by the organisers. It is likely that the ESA will be a Chartered Engineer or someone of equivalent status. A4.6.3 The ESA must have significant practical experience of the technology that is being developed and its implementation into vehicles or other safety critical systems such that they are adequately qualified to advise the team on their proposed electrical and control system designs. NOTE: It may be necessary to have more than one ESA to achieve this requirement. A4.6.4 The ESA must advise the team such that the merits of any relevant engineering solutions can be discussed, questioned and approved before being implemented into the final vehicle design. A4.6.5 The ESA should advise the students on the required training so that they are competent to work with the systems on the vehicle. A4.6.6 The ESA must review and sign the Electrical System Form to confirm that in principle the vehicle has been designed using good engineering practices. A4.6.7 The ESA must ensure that the team discusses any unusual aspects of the design with the rules committee to reduce the risk of exclusion or significant changes being required to pass technical inspection. A4.6.8 All EV team members are required to have basic electrical safety training to ensure they are aware of the risks and know how to respond in the event of an incident. Details of this training should be documented in the ESO/ESA form. A4.7 Registration A4.7.1 Registration for Formula Student must be completed online. Online registration must be performed by the Team Leader and official Faculty Advisor connected with the registering university. A4.7.2 Registration for Formula Student UK is limited to a fixed number of competing cars. There is no limit to how many teams may be on the reserve list. A reserve team will be notified when a registration slot becomes available. A4.7.3 Registration for Formula Student is via submission of a Design Concept Specification © 2024 IMechE 19 Formula Student 2024 Rules  document by the date specified in the Key Dates document. There are no exceptions to this registration policy. A4.7.4 Registration fees must be paid to the Institution of Mechanical Engineers by the deadline specified in the Key Dates document. A4.7.5 In the event of a team withdrawing from the competition, registration fees are not refundable. In the event that the competition is cancelled entirely by the organisers, the option to defer entry fees to a future competition will be offered. Depending on the circumstances around the cancellation, a full or partial refund may be offered. Changes to the event schedule, dates or venue are pursuant to Rule A3.1.1. A4.7.6 FS Class teams may request to change their entry to Concept Class prior to the deadline published in the Key Dates document. This will be subject to capacity in Concept Class. A4.7.7 FS-AI ADS teams may request to change their entry to DDT prior to the deadline published in the Key Dates document. This will be subject to capacity in DDT class. A4.8 Team Member Registration Requirements A4.8.1 Team Leaders must ensure that every participant’s name, including the Faculty Advisors, is listed in the Manage Members section of their Team Account. It is the Team Leader’s responsibility to ensure that all team members have their own individual accounts. The following is also required:  Driver’s licence numbers must be listed for participants who intend to drive a competition vehicle.  IMechE Membership Number (where required by A4.2.11)  Emergency Contact Details for each team member and the Faculty Advisor must be submitted online by the deadline specified in the Key Dates document. A4.8.2 Details of on-site registration requirements for the live event will be communicated via the Team Handbook, release date as per Key Dates document. A4.9 Newcomer Registration A4.9.1 Teams who will be competing in their first season of the FSAE/FS calendar with a running vehicle and have not won a major award at a previous competition, and teams that have been absent from FSAE/FS for at least 5 years will be eligible for the Newcomer Award. Eligible teams should email [email protected] to advise organisers of their Newcomer status. A4.10 Vehicle Shipping A4.10.1 Vehicle shipments by commercial carrier must comply with the laws and regulations of nations from which, and to which, the car is being sent. Teams are advised to consult with their shipping company or freight forwarder to be sure their shipment fully complies with all relevant, customs, import/export and aviation shipping requirements. A4.10.2 Shipments must be sent with the sending team or university listed as the receiving party. Neither the competition organisers nor the competition sites can be listed as the receiving party. The Institution of Mechanical Engineers will not take responsibility for any shipments or any associated charges. Further details on vehicle shipping can be © 2024 IMechE 20 Formula Student 2024 Rules  found on the Formula Student website. © 2024 IMechE 21 Formula Student 2024 Rules A5 DOCUMENTATION & DEADLINES A5.1 Required Documents and Forms A5.1.1 Several competition critical documents must be submitted prior to the competition live event. Full details of the document names, format, method of submission and deadlines can be found in the Key Dates document published on the Formula Student website. NOTE: The Key Dates document is updated frequently so please check that you are working from the most up to date version as published on the website. A5.1.2 Where applicable, templates for the required submissions can be found here: https://www.imeche.org/events/formula-student/team-information/forms-and- documents A5.1.3 Documents submitted in contradiction to the requirements set out in the Key Dates document, including blank document submissions, will be considered as “Not Submitted”. A5.2 Submission A5.2.1 Uploaded documents can only be viewed by:  Registered members on the team list of the university’s Formula Student team account, including Team Leaders, Team Members and Faculty Advisors,  Authorised Judges, Officials and Scrutineers,  IMechE Staff. A5.2.2 By submitting documents via the competition website, the team agrees that they may be reproduced and distributed by the officials, in both complete and edited versions, for educational purposes. A5.2.3 Documents or videos that are largely incomplete or not readable/viewable will be considered as “Not Submitted”. A5.2.4 Team Leaders are responsible for ensuring that all of their team’s submissions are uploaded or sent no later than the published deadline. Account creation for online document submission is explained on the FS website. A5.2.5 The format, method of submission, initial deadline and final deadline are all defined in the Key Dates document published here: https://www.imeche.org/events/formula-student/team-information/key-dates A5.2.6 SES and IAD submissions are reviewed in the order that they are received. Teams are strongly encouraged to submit these well before the submission deadline. A5.2.7 All documents submitted online through your Team Account will generate a confirmation email stating the date and time of your upload. This will be sent to your primary team contact, as defined in your registration form.  You are strongly advised to print and retain this confirmation email for the final version of each submission,  If the primary contact email changes you must inform [email protected]. © 2024 IMechE 22 Formula Student 2024 Rules A5.3 Late Submission or Non-Submission A5.3.1 The penalties for submitting documents later than the initial and final deadlines are defined in the Key Dates document on the Formula Student website. A5.3.2 Volunteer judges evaluate all the required submissions, it is essential that they have enough time to complete their work. There are no exceptions to the document submission deadlines and late submissions will incur penalties. A5.3.3 Any penalty for late submission or non-submission of documents required for the Static Events will be deducted from the related event score, not the overall competition score. A5.4 Correction Requests A5.4.1 Judge / Official requested resubmissions to documents must be submitted no more than 14 days after the request is sent, as per the Key Dates document. A5.4.2 Separate requests for different parts within one document or form will be treated independently. A5.4.3 The document types that may be subject to resubmission requests by Judges / Officials are listed in the Key Dates document. Teams have the option to replace any uploaded documents with a new file at any time before the “Submission Deadline” or, where applicable the “Final Date for Late Submission” in the Key Dates document. A5.4.4 Where applicable, between the “Submission Deadline” (document deadline before lateness applies) and the “Final Date for Late Submission” replacement documents are classified as late submissions and the appropriate lateness penalties will be applied, unless you were asked to resubmit by the Judge / Official reviewing your submission. A5.5 SES Approval A5.5.1 SES for all vehicles (except DDT) must be submitted in line with the competition Key Dates document. All SES will be reviewed by Scrutineering and awarded a ‘Approved or ‘Failed’ as part of pre-event checks. Teams who have received a ‘Failed’ result will be able to correct the SES and resubmit as many times as is needed prior to the resubmission deadline specified in the competition Key Dates document. Teams with not be able to pass scrutineering and dynamically compete without an approved SES. A5.6 Design Concept Specification A5.6.1 All teams must submit a Design Concept Specification (DCS) by way of application to compete in the 2024 competition. Submission of the DCS is via your Team Account as per the Key Dates document. © 2024 IMechE 23 Formula Student 2024 Rules A6 GENERAL RULES A6.1 Removing the Vehicle from the Site A6.1.1 Teams who remove their vehicle ([EV ONLY] or tractive system accumulator) from the competition site after the competition has begun will be disqualified from the competition. A6.2 Forfeit for Non-Appearance A6.2.1 It is the responsibility of each team to be in the right place at the right time. A6.2.2 If a team is not present and ready to compete at the scheduled time, they forfeit their attempt at that event. A6.3 Team Briefing A6.3.1 The team leader and all drivers for a particular day must attend the team briefing for that day as per the official Event Schedule for the live event. A6.4 Testing and Work Safety A6.4.1 Teams are reminded that cars built according to the Formula Student and Formula SAE rules are not designed or intended for racing or use at high speed, or in confined areas where they might impact with solid objects, including safety barriers. Teams are advised to develop and run their vehicles on large, substantially open areas, and to do so only under similar speed and cornering conditions as they would face at official FSAE or FS events.  It is further advised that all cars are checked by a Motorsport UK safety scrutineer. Please email [email protected] to arrange this. The competition officials disassociate themselves from all activities of the teams besides their own competition live event and associated events. A6.4.2 All teams are advised to follow best engineering, manufacturing, machining and health and safety practices and common sense when working on the vehicle and when operating the vehicle, before, during and after a competition. A6.4.3 The vehicles must not participate in events not suitable for this type of vehicle like hill climbs, drag races or similar. A6.4.4 Teams must never use their vehicles for wheel-to-wheel races. A6.4.5 The following listed requirements are considered the minimum for a testing/operating environment to qualify as safe. Following these guidelines does not guarantee safety under all circumstances:  Driver wearing full protection gear according to T13.3,  Working TSAL, IMD, AMS, ASSI, RES, EBS, APPS, accelerator/brake pedal plausibility check, and ETC plausibility check if applicable,  Rules compliant chassis and mounted impact attenuator,  No other passenger cars, trucks etc. being parked or driven on the same premise at the same time, unless the areas are clearly separated, © 2024 IMechE 24 Formula Student 2024 Rules   No running under low visibility conditions,  No running at speeds above typical event speeds,  No running in areas where crashing into obstacles at the height of the driver’s head is possible, such that parts of the vehicle may pass below an obstacle, but the driver’s head can be trapped between the obstacle and the main hoop for example. A6.4.6 The organisers hereby reserve the right to deduct points, or exclude individuals or teams from future competitions, if they act in such a way, at any time, as to actually or potentially bring the Formula Student name into disrepute. Teams or individuals associated with them, displaying and/or running their vehicles at any events organised by themselves or others, who use the Formula Student name while doing so, and act irresponsibly or recklessly, may at the organiser’s sole discretion be deemed to have acted in breach of this rule. A6.5 Onsite Working Safety A6.5.1 Everyone in the dynamic area and everybody working on the vehicle must wear appropriate, closed-toed shoes. A6.5.2 Appropriate personal protective equipment must be used. A6.5.3 Any operation producing litter or debris, e.g. cutting of carbon fibre, must not be performed in the pits. A6.5.4 When jacking up the vehicle, a safe and stable support device rated for the load must be used. A6.6 Alcohol and Illegal Material A6.6.1 Drivers should not consume alcohol at least 24 hours before any event they are competing in and may be subject to random breathalyser checks. A6.6.2 If any team member is tested with an alcohol level higher than 0.0 %, they will be immediately disqualified for the rest of the competition. A second team member being found to have an alcohol level higher than 0.0% will result in the entire team being disqualified immediately. A6.7 Vehicle Movement A6.7.1 Vehicles must not move under their own power anywhere other than on the practice or competition tracks. A6.7.2 [EV ONLY] The detachable handle or key of the Tractive System Master Switch (TSMS) must be completely removed and kept by an ESO. The lockout/tagout function of the TSMS, see EV6.2.2, must be used. A6.7.3 [EV ONLY] The High Voltage Disconnect (HVD), see EV4.8, must be disconnected at all times (including taking part in static events) if the vehicle has not passed electrical inspection. A6.7.4 [DV ONLY] DV vehicles must also have their autonomous system deactivated when being moved around the paddock (see T13.12). The detachable handle or key of the © 2024 IMechE 25 Formula Student 2024 Rules  Autonomous System Master Switch (ASMS) must be completely removed and kept by an ASR. The lockout/tagout function of the ASMS, see T13.12.8, must be used. A6.7.5 Vehicles must be pushed at a normal walking pace by means of a “push bar”, see T13.1, and with a team member in the cockpit wearing the required driver equipment as defined in T13.3 except for helmet, arm restraints and balaclava. A6.7.6 The team member in the cockpit must have full control of steering and braking. A6.7.7 When the push bar is attached to the vehicle, the engine/tractive system must remain switched off. A6.7.8 Vehicles with wings are required to have two team members walking on either side of the vehicle’s front wing whenever the vehicle is being pushed. A6.7.9 Any team found ‘running with the car’ may have their tech sticker removed and will have their car confiscated and quarantined by the Chief Technical Scrutineer for a minimum of one hour. The one hour will start and end at the discretion of the Chief Technical Scrutineer. A6.8 [CV ONLY] Engine Running A6.8.1 Running engines are not allowed in the pits. A6.8.2 Engine running is allowed in the engine test area and in the dynamic area, when the following conditions are met:  The vehicle must have passed mechanical inspection,  The vehicle must be jacked up using a quick jack, see T13.2,  A driver, wearing required driver equipment, see T13.3, must be seated in the cockpit,  A fire extinguisher must be immediately available,  Driven wheels can only remain fitted to the vehicle if they will not rotate,  No one is allowed under the vehicle while the engine is running. A6.8.3 Cranking engines in the pits is allowed, when the following conditions are met:  The vehicle has passed mechanical inspection,  The driven axles are securely jacked up,  Gearbox is in neutral,  All driven wheels are removed,  Connectors to all injectors and ignition coils are detached,  A fire extinguisher must be placed next to the engine. A6.9 Fuelling and Oil A6.9.1 Fuelling may only take place at the fuel station and must be conducted by officials only. A6.9.2 Open fuel containers are not permitted at the competition. A6.9.3 Waste fuel and oil should be disposed of at the location specified in the Event Handbook. © 2024 IMechE 26 Formula Student 2024 Rules © 2024 IMechE 27 Formula Student 2024 Rules A6.10 [EV ONLY] Working on the Tractive System A6.10.1 Activities on the Tractive System (TS), except for the accumulator (see A6.11) must take place in the pit. A6.10.2 All activities require the attendance of the ESO. When the LVMS is switched on, the TSAL must be green at all times, if the LVMS is switched off, the ESO is responsible for testing and declaring the vehicle to be safe prior to any further work being carried out. A6.10.3 For activities on the inactive TS, the following procedure must be carried out:  The vehicle must be barred from anyone not involved in the work, by using barrier tape,  The Tractive System Master Switch (TSMS) must be switched off,  It must be assured that the TS cannot by restarted by, at a minimum, using the lockout/tag out of the TSMS,  A check for zero-potential must be carried out,  A sign that declares the vehicle is electrically safe must be installed. The name of the ESO who is supervising the activities must be noted on the sign. This ESO is the only person who may remove the sign and the barrier. A6.10.4 In case of measurements on the active TS or activation of the TS for testing purposes, the following steps must be followed:  The vehicle must be located in either the EV scrutineering area or one of the permitted “TS Active” zones (see Team Handbook for details),  The vehicle must be barred from anyone not involved in the work, by using barrier tape,  The vehicle must be jacked up and the driven wheels removed,  One team member must be prepared to push a shutdown button at any time,  The TS must only be activated for as long as necessary,  Appropriate insulated tools and equipment must be used,  Safety glasses with side shields and compliant safety gloves must be worn by all participating team members when parts of the TS are exposed,  No other work on the vehicle is permitted when the TS is active. A6.10.5 If the TSAL is flashing red or malfunctioning, the TS is considered as active. A6.10.6 There must be at least one team member present, who is not directly involved in the work, but who could assist in case of an incident. A6.11 [EV ONLY] Working on Tractive System Accumulators A6.11.1 Opening or working on Tractive System Accumulator Containers (TSACs) is only allowed in the provided workplaces in the charging area, see A6.12. A6.11.2 All activities require the attendance of an ESO. © 2024 IMechE 28 Formula Student 2024 Rules A6.11.3 Whenever the TSACs are opened, the cell segments must be separated with the maintenance plugs, see EV5.4.3. A6.11.4 Appropriate insulated tools and equipment must be used. A6.11.5 Safety glasses with side shields and compliant safety gloves must be worn by all participating team members. A6.11.6 There must be at least one team member present, who is not directly involved in the work conducted on the accumulator, but who could assist in case of an incident. A6.11.7 Moving accumulator cells and/or accumulator segment(s) around at the competition site is only permitted if they are inside a completely closed TSAC. A6.11.8 Additional safety measures may be included in the respective competition handbook. A6.12 [EV ONLY] Charging A6.12.1 There will be a separated charging area on the competition site. Charging TS accumulators is only allowed inside this area. A6.12.2 Accumulators must be removed from the vehicle and placed on the TSAC hand cart, see EV8.1, for charging. A6.12.3 The labels required in EV5.3.8 and EV5.3.9 must be visible during charging. A6.12.4 No grinding, drilling, etc. is allowed in the charging area. A6.12.5 At least one ESO who has knowledge of the charging process must stay with the accumulator(s) during charging. A6.13 Team Radios A6.13.1 Any team radios must comply with PMR446: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0025/85156/ir_2009_analogue_and_ digita1.pdf A6.13.2 Operating on any other frequencies, or with transmission powers greater than 0.5W requires a licence from OFCOM. A6.13.3 All team telemetry must be transmitted on a 2.4Ghz frequency. Teams must not transmit on a 5Ghz or any other frequency. A6.14 Official Event Schedule A6.14.1 The master version of the Event Schedule will be posted on the competition website. In the event of any differences between the master version and any version published elsewhere, then the timings published in the master version prevail. A6.15 Static Event Judging Schedule A6.15.1 In respect for the volunteer judges, teams must notify officials of any inability to attend a scheduled judging session by the date and time specified in the Team Handbook. Please refer to Rule S1 for applicable penalties if this is not adhered to. © 2024 IMechE 29 Formula Student 2024 Rules A6.15.2 In exceptional circumstances teams may be offered an alternative scheduled time, but this cannot be guaranteed, and teams must make their best efforts to attend at their original allocated judging time and location. © 2024 IMechE 30 Formula Student 2024 Rules A6.16 Mandatory Safety Briefings A6.16.1 The Event Schedule details the time and location of all mandatory safety briefings. Failure to attend these briefings and receive the allocated wristband will result in that team member being unable to complete their intended role(s). © 2024 IMechE 31 Formula Student 2024 Rules  SECTION T – GENERAL TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS T1 DEFINITIONS T1.1 Chassis Definitions T1.1.1 Chassis – The fabricated structural assembly that supports all functional vehicle systems. This assembly may be a single welded structure, multiple welded structures or a combination of composite and welded structures. T1.1.2 Bodywork - the outermost surface of the chassis or any fairing parts and covers. T1.1.3 Cockpit - the volume which accommodates the driver, formed by the elements of the Primary Structure forward of the Firewall, extending to the Front Bulkhead. T1.1.4 Chassis member – A minimum representative single piece of uncut, continuous tubing or equivalent structure. T1.1.5 Front Bulkhead – A planar structure that defines the forward plane of the chassis and provides protection for the driver’s feet. T1.1.6 Front Bulkhead Support – A structure that defines the side of the chassis from the front bulkhead back to the top of the upper side impact structure and the bottom of the front hoop. T1.1.7 Front Hoop – A roll bar located above the driver’s legs, in proximity to the steering wheel. T1.1.8 Impact Attenuator (IA) – A deformable, energy absorbing device located forward of the front bulkhead. T1.1.9 Main Hoop – A roll bar located alongside or just behind the driver’s torso. T1.1.10 Monocoque – A chassis made of composite material. T1.1.11 Node-to-node triangulation – An arrangement of chassis members projected onto a plane, where a co-planar load applied in any direction, at any node, results in only tensile or compressive forces in the chassis members as shown in Figure 1. Figure 1: Node-to-node triangulation of chassis members (left correct and right incorrect) T1.1.12 Primary Structure – The Primary Structure is comprised of the following components:  Main hoop,  Front hoop,  Roll hoop braces and supports, © 2024 IMechE 32 Formula Student 2024 Rules   Side impact structure,  Front bulkhead,  Front bulkhead support system,  All chassis members, guides and supports that transfer load from the driver’s restraint system into the above-mentioned components of the primary structure,  [EV ONLY] structures mentioned under EV4.4.2 and EV5.5.2,  [CV ONLY] structures mentioned under CV1.3.2. T1.1.13 Roll Hoops – Both the front hoop and the main hoop are classified as “roll hoops”. T1.1.14 Roll Hoop Bracing – The structure from a roll hoop to the roll hoop bracing support. T1.1.15 Roll Hoop Bracing Supports – The structure from the lower end of the roll hoop bracing back to the roll hoop(s). T1.1.16 Rollover Protection Envelope – The volume enclosed by a series of intersecting planes, where each plane is tangent to the outermost extremities of the elements described in T1.1.12, as shown in Figure 2. Figure 2: Rollover Protection Envelope. T1.1.17 Side Impact Structure – The area of the side of the chassis between the front hoop and the main hoop and from the chassis floor to the height as required in T3.15 above the lowest inside chassis point between front hoop and main hoop. T1.1.18 Surface Envelope – The volume enclosed by multiple planes, each of which are tangent to the outermost surface of the primary structure and the outside edges of the four tyres, see Figure 3. Figure 3: Surface Envelope, see T1.1.18. T1.2 Material Definitions T1.2.1 Fire Retardant – A material meeting one of the following standards: © 2024 IMechE 33 Formula Student 2024 Rules   UL94 V-0 for the minimum used material thickness  FAR 25.853(a)(1)(i) Equivalent standards are only accepted, if the team shows equivalence and this is approved by the officials prior to the event. T1.3 Electrical Definitions T1.3.1 Direct Connection – Two devices or circuits are directly connected if the connection is not routed through any common PCB and does not include any devices or functionality other than overcurrent protection. T1.4 Driving Mode Definitions T1.4.1 Manual Mode – A vehicle is considered in manual mode when driven by a human driver. The AS must be deactivated in this case, the ASMS is in “Off” position. T1.4.2 Autonomous Mode – A vehicle is considered in autonomous mode when the AS is activated, the ASMS is in “On” position. This is required to participate in the DV dynamic events. © 2024 IMechE 34 Formula Student 2024 Rules T2 GENERAL DESIGN REQUIREMENTS T2.1 Vehicle Configuration T2.1.1 The vehicle must be designed and fabricated in accordance with good engineering practices. T2.1.2 The vehicle must be open-wheeled, single seat and open cockpit (a formula style body) with four wheels that are not in a straight line. T2.1.3 Open wheel vehicles must satisfy the following (see also Figure 4):  The wheel/tyre assembly must be unobstructed when viewed from the side.  No part of the vehicle may enter a keep-out-zone defined by two lines extending vertically from positions 75 mm in front of and 75 mm behind the outer diameter of the front and rear tyres in the side view of the vehicle, with steering straight ahead. This keep-out zone extends laterally from the outside plane of the wheel/tyre to the inboard plane of the wheel/tyre assembly. Figure 4: Keep-out-zones for the definition of an open-wheeled vehicle T2.2 Bodywork T2.2.1 There must be no openings through the bodywork into the driver compartment other than that required for the cockpit opening. Minimal openings around the front suspension and steering system components are allowed. T2.2.2 Enclosed chassis structures and structures between the chassis and the ground must have two venting holes of at least 25 mm diameter in the lowest part of the structure to prevent accumulation of liquids. Additional holes are required when multiple local lowest parts exist in the structure. T2.2.3 All edges of the bodywork that could come into contact with a pedestrian must have a minimum radius of 3 mm. © 2024 IMechE 35 Formula Student 2024 Rules T2.2.4 The bodywork in front of the front wheels must have a radius of at least 38mm extending at least 45° relative to the forward direction, along the top, sides and bottom of all affected edges. T2.3 Suspension T2.3.1 The vehicle must be equipped with fully operational front and rear suspension systems including shock absorbers and a usable wheel travel of at least 50mm and a minimum jounce of 25 mm with driver seated. T2.3.2 The minimum static ground clearance of any portion of the vehicle, other than the tyres, including a driver, must be 30mm. T2.3.3 All suspension mounting points must be visible at technical inspection, either by direct view or by removing any covers. T2.4 Wheels T2.4.1 Any wheel mounting system that uses a single retaining nut must incorporate a device to retain the nut and the wheel in the event that the nut loosens. A second nut (“jam nut”) does not meet these requirements. T2.4.2 Standard wheel lug bolts and studs must be made of steel or titanium and are considered engineering fasteners. Teams using modified lug bolts, studs or custom designs will be required to provide proof that good engineering practices have been followed in their design. Wheel lug bolts and studs must not be hollow. T2.4.3 Aluminium wheel nuts may be used, but they must be hard anodized and in pristine condition. T2.4.4 Extended or composite wheel studs are prohibited. T2.4.5 Wheel spacers are permitted. Laminated or multiple spacers per wheel are not permitted. T2.5 Tyres T2.5.1 Vehicles must have two types of tyres as follows:  Dry tyres - The tyres on the vehicle when it is presented for technical inspection are defined as its “dry tyres”.  Wet tyres - Wet tyres may be any size or type of treaded or grooved tyre provided: i. The tread pattern or grooves were moulded in by the tyre manufacturer or were cut by the tyre manufacturer or their appointed agent. Any grooves that have been cut must have documentary proof that it was done in accordance with these rules. ii. There is a minimum tread depth of 2.4 mm. T2.5.2 Tyres on the same axle must have the same manufacturer, size and compound. T2.5.3 Tyre warmers are not allowed. T2.5.4 Special agents that increase traction may not be added to the tyres or track surface. © 2024 IMechE 36 Formula Student 2024 Rules T2.6 Steering T2.6.1 Steering systems using cables or belts for actuation are prohibited. [DV ONLY] This does not apply for autonomous steering actuators. T2.6.2 The steering wheel must directly mechanically actuate the front wheels. T2.6.3 The steering system must have positive steering stops that prevent the steering linkages from locking up. The stops must be placed on the rack and must prevent the tyres and rims from contacting any other parts. Steering actuation must be possible during standstill. T2.6.4 Allowable steering system free play is limited to a total of 7° measured at the steering wheel. T2.6.5 The steering wheel must be attached to the column with a quick disconnect. The driver must be able to operate the quick disconnect while in the normal driving position with gloves on. T2.6.6 The steering wheel must be no more than 250mm rearward of the front hoop. This distance is measured horizontally, on the vehicle centreline, from the rear surface of the front hoop to the forward most surface of the steering wheel with the steering in any position. T2.6.7 The steering wheel must have a continuous perimeter that is near circular or near oval. The outer perimeter profile may have some straight sections, but no concave sections. T2.6.8 In any angular position, the top of the steering wheel must be no higher than the top-most surface of the front hoop. T2.6.9 The steering rack must be mechanically attached to the chassis. T2.6.10 Joints between all components attaching the steering wheel to the steering rack must be mechanical and visible at technical inspection. Bonded joints without a mechanical backup are not permitted. The mechanical backup must be designed to solely uphold the functionality of the steering system. T2.6.11 Rear wheel steering, which can be electrically actuated, is permitted if mechanical stops limit the range of angular movement of the rear wheels to a maximum of 6°. This must be demonstrated with a driver in the vehicle and the team must provide the equipment for the steering angle range to be verified at technical inspection. T2.7 Wheelbase T2.7.1 The vehicle must have a wheelbase of at least 1525 mm. T2.8 Track and Rollover Stability T2.8.1 The smaller track of the vehicle (front or rear) must be no less than 75 % of the larger track. T2.8.2 The track and centre of gravity of the vehicle must combine to provide adequate rollover stability. © 2024 IMechE 37 Formula Student 2024 Rules T3 GENERAL CHASSIS DESIGN T3.1 General Requirements T3.1.1 Among other requirements, the vehicle’s structure must include:  Two roll hoops that are braced  A front bulkhead with support system and Impact Attenuator (IA)  Side impact structures T3.2 Minimum Material Requirements T3.2.1 Table 3 shows the minimum requirements for the members of the primary structure if made from steel tubing. Minimum Minimum area Minimum wall cross-sectional moment of Item or application thickness area inertia Main and front hoops, shoulder 2.0mm 173mm2 11320mm4 harness mounting bar Side impact structure, front 1.2mm 119 mm2 8509 mm4 bulkhead, roll hoop bracing, driver’s restraint harness attachment (except as noted above) Front bulkhead support, main hoop 1.2mm 91 mm2 6695 mm4 bracing supports Table 3: Minimum Material Requirements T3.2.2 The Primary Structure of the car must be constructed of:  Round, mild or alloy steel (minimum 0.1% carbon) of the minimum dimensions specified in T3.2.1  Approved ‘Alternative Materials’ as per T3.3.  Approved ‘Composite Structure’ as per T3.4. T3.2.3 Except for inspection holes, any holes drilled in any part which is a member of the primary structure must be documented in the SES. T3.2.4 The steel properties used for the calculations in the SES must be: Non-welded strength for continuous material calculations: i. Young’s Modulus (E) = 200 GPa ii. Yield Strength (Sy) = 305 MPa iii. Ultimate Strength (Su) = 365 MPa Welded strength for discontinuous material such as joint calculations: i. Yield Strength (Sy) = 180 MPa © 2024 IMechE 38 Formula Student 2024 Rules  ii. Ultimate Strength (Su) = 300 MPa T3.2.5 Any tubing with a wall thickness less than 1.2mm or a minimum area moment of inertia less than 6695 mm4 is considered non-structural and will be ignored when assessing compliance to any rule regarding the vehicle structure. T3.2.6 If a member of the primary structure (except for the roll hoops) is a bent tube or made from multiple tubes an additional tube must support it. This support tube must:  Have its attachment point at the position along the bend tube where it deviates farthest from a straight line connecting both ends.  Be of the same dimension as the supported tube(s).  Terminate at a node of the chassis.  Be angled no more than 30° from the plane of the supported tube(s). T3.2.7 Any welded seams shape must not be mechanically altered in any way. T3.2.8 Where bonded joints are applicable and governed by the rules, a 50% reduction shall be applied to all datasheet adhesive values. Properties from adhesive tests must be derived from a statistically significant number of samples. Bonded joints in the primary structure must be documented in the SES. T3.3 Alternative Materials T3.3.1 Alternative materials may be used for all parts of the Primary Structure and the TSAC with the following exceptions:  The main hoop and the main hoop bracing must be steel  The front hoop must be metal  Any welded structures of the primary structure must be steel  However, the front hoop may be an aluminium welded structure T3.3.2 If any materials other than steel tubing are used in the primary structure or the TSAC, physical testing is required to show equivalency to the minimum material properties for steel in T3.2. T3.4 Composite Structures T3.4.1 If composite structures are used in the primary structure or the TSAC, the Flexural Rigidity (EI) of that structure must be calculated with the tools and formulas in the SES. The actual geometry and curvature of the panel may be taken into account for the main hoop bracing support, the front hoop bracing, the front bulkhead support structure and the shoulder harness bar. For all other areas the EI must be calculated as the EI of a flat panel about its neutral axis. This panel must have the same composition as the structure used in the chassis. T3.4.2 If composite materials are used in the primary structure or the TSAC the SES must include:  Material type(s)  Cloth weights © 2024 IMechE 39 Formula Student 2024 Rules   Resin type  Fibre orientation  Number of layers  Core material  Lay-up technique  3-point-bend test and shear test data T3.4.3 For any laminate in the primary structure or the TSAC, the maximum weight content of parallel fibres, relative to the weight of all fibres in the laminate, is 50 %. All fibres laid within any orientation +/-10° count as parallel in this case. T3.4.4 Wherever backing plates are required, they must be fully supported by the structure they are attached to. T3.5 Laminate Testing T3.5.1 If composite materials are used for any part of the primary structure or the TSAC the team must:  Build a representative test panel which must measure exactly 275 mm × 500mm that has the same design, laminate and fabrication method as used for the respective part of the primary structure represented as a flat panel. The sides of the test panel must not be laminated (core material must be visible).  Perform a 3-point bending test on this panel  The data from these tests and pictures of the test samples and test setup must be included in the SES. In the pictures, the following must be identifiable: distance between the two supports, dimensions of the load applicator and test sample marking as per T3.5.4. The test results must be used to derive strength and stiffness properties used in the SES formula for all laminate panels. T3.5.2 If a panel represents side impact structure it must be proven that it has at least the same properties as two steel tubes meeting the requirements for side impact structure tubes for buckling modulus, yield strength and absorbed energy. T3.5.3 Composite structures with different core thicknesses but otherwise identical construction may use material properties derived from a single test panel. The panel with the thicker core must be tested and the structure using derived material properties may not use a core thickness of less than 67 % of the tested panel. T3.5.4 The test samples must be presented at technical inspection. All samples must be marked with the following non-removable information: laminated structure acronym and date of testing. T3.5.5 The distance between the two test panel supports must be at least 400 mm. T3.5.6 The load applicator used to test any panel or tube must be metallic and have a radius of 50mm. T3.5.7 The load applicator must overhang the test piece to prevent edge loading. © 2024 IMechE 40 Formula Student 2024 Rules T3.5.8 There must be no material between the load applicator and the test piece. T3.5.9 Perimeter shear tests must be completed which measure the force required to push or pull a 25 mm diameter flat punch through a flat laminate sample. The sample must be at least 100mm × 100mm. Core and skin thicknesses must be identical to those used in the actual chassis structure and be manufactured using the same materials and processes. T3.5.10 The test fixture must support the entire sample, except for a 32mm hole aligned co-axially with the punch. The sample must not be clamped to the fixture. T3.6 Structural Documentation T3.6.1 All teams must