Solar cars and tyre dust: Auto's future at Goodwood Festival of Speed

The Goodwood Festival of Speed is once again being held at the historic Goodwood House in southern England. The event, which has long honored the legacy of motorsport, now also shines a spotlight on the groundbreaking innovations driving the automotive industry forward, particularly in the realm of sustainability.

The festival, renowned for its high-octane atmosphere, continues to captivate sports car enthusiasts and connoisseurs of high-end vehicles from around the globe.

Since its inception in 1993, it has secured its place as one of the most prestigious events in the motorsport calendar. This year, a diverse range of vehicles are making their global debuts by tackling the famed hill climb - a nearly two-kilometer stretch that tests the mettle of even the most advanced machines.

Seth Wise, director of partnerships at The Goodwood Group, highlights the event's commitment to showcasing the latest advancements.

"There's something new every year at Goodwood, whether it's new partners showcasing their brand stories, new celebrations of vehicles, or new car launches. I think we've launched 11 cars. We're obviously embracing the EV revolution and evolution through our commercial storytelling," he said.

An evolution of the industry

This year's theme 'Horseless to Hybrid - Revolutions in Power' reflects the festival's focus on celebrating the automotive industry's evolution.

A notable exhibit is the solar car from Durham University, a vehicle powered entirely by solar energy that can go up to 130kmh.

Anith Sathanathan, head of business at Durham University Solar Car, explains the broader implications of their work: "Much of the work we put into our solar car can be transfered to most automotive vehicles, in the same way that F-1 technologies eventually trickle down to road cars. 

"We aim to take our innovative ideas into the future, influencing the automotive industry."

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Anith said the performance of the solar car depends on the climate the vehicle operates in.

"Take the UK for example - it can be sunny, whereas other days it can be cloudy or muggy," he said. "There's nothing we can really do about that apart from getting as much as we can from what we get. So improving the efficiency and reducing the cost to make it more worthwhile and more economic."

Hidden menace of tyre dust

As spectators revel in the spectacle of speed, a crucial mission unfolds to raise awareness about tyre dust - a significant micro-plastic pollutant.

The Tyre Collective, a company founded in 2020, is collaborating with commercial fleets and auto manufacturers to integrate their devices into future vehicles.

"What we develop are devices attached behind the wheel. As you drive, the particles generated are charged from friction with the road and captured using electrostatics," said Hanson Cheng, co-founder of the Tyre Collective.

"Tyre wear is becoming a more heavily regulated field. The same regulations imposed on tailpipe emissions are now being translated to tyre wear and brake wear. In the near future, vehicle manufacturers will need solutions to reduce this."

As the Goodwood Festival of Speed showcases the nostalgic allure of vintage horseless carriages, alongside the futuristic appeal of electric and solar cars, it has borne witness to the remarkable progress the auto industry has made over the past century. 

With climate change looming large, the pressing question remains: where do we go from here? Goodwood has shown us some big clues.

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