Gran Turismo fans, rejoice. Chevrolet is giving you the chance to live your gaming fantasies in real-life, assuming of course you can accord a 2015 Corvette Stingray. Announced at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), it’s a fully integrated system that enables users to record high-definition video with telemetry overlays.

The Performance Data Recorder or PDR is developed with Cosworth, the British motorsports engineering company that supplies the Corvette Racing team’s data acquisition and telemetry electronics system. And get this, it will be available with the start of 2015 Corvette production which commences in the third quarter of 2014.

The PDR has three components all seamlessly integrated into the Corvette’s interior. First is a 720-p high-definition camera mounted within the windshield header trim. This records the driver’s point of view through the windshield along with a dedicated microphone located in the cabin.

The second is a self-contained telemetry recorder that uses a dedicated GPS receiver that operates at five times faster than in-dash navigation systems and allows for more precise positioning and corner traces. This is hardwired into the Corvette’s CAN to access vehicle information ranging from engine speed, transmission gear selection to braking fore and steering angle.

Finally, the system  has a dedicated SD-card slot in the glove box for recording and transferring video and vehicle data. An 8 GB card can record approximately 200 minutes while a 32 GB card stores up to 800 minutes—more than 13 hours of drive time.


The PDR system can also record video with three data overlay options, each rendered in real time: Track Mode (speed, g-force, lap time, etc.), Sport Mode (more basic Track Mode), Touring Mode (no data overalys) and Performance Mode (0-60 mph acceleration, quarter-mile speed and elapsed time, 0-100-0 mph runs). The video can be viewed on the Corvette eight-inch color touchscreen when the car is parked, or downloaded to a computer for further editing, and sharing video via social media sites.

For users who want a more in-depth understanding of their performance, the PDR vehicle data can be opened in the included “Cosworth Toolbox” software, which combines Cosworth’s professional-level motorsport data analysis with an easy-to-use graphic interface.

The Cosworth Toolbox application overlays recorded laps on a Bing-enabled satellite map of the track, and compares selected laps in detail for any requested point on the drive. Comparisons include corner traces, vehicle speed, and cornering force to help drivers improve their driving consistency and ultimately their lap times.