About Formula SAE

The University of Utah Formula SAE team designs and builds a small race car for an engineering competition sponsored by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), which is held annually in Detroit, Michigan. There are over 20 highly motivated members from various disciplines who take responsibility in bringing the new car to the competition. This is achieved with an efficient management structure where team leaders take control of the Chassis, Powertrain, Manufacturing and Instrumentation. Collaboration across groups and across disciplines has resulted in a well balanced car. When this car is put to the ground, team members test and improve the car to always get the maximum possible out of the car. Along with building the car, financial matters and presentations are undertaken by the team members. Through this process, team members get a taste of what it is like in the real world and thereby prepares them for it.

2006 U of U Formula SAE Brochure (PDF)


The Formula SAE Competition

The Formula SAE Competition is for SAE student members to conceive, design, fabricate, and compete with small formula-style racing cars (open wheel, open cockpit). The restrictions on the car frame and engine are limited so that the knowledge, creativity, and imagination of the students are challenged. The cars are built with a team effort over a period of about one year and are taken to the annual competition for judging and comparison with approximately 130 other vehicles from colleges and universities throughout the world. The end result is a great experience for young engineers in a meaningful engineering project as well as the opportunity of working in a dedicated team effort.

For the purpose of this competition, the students are to assume that a manufacturing firm has asked them to produce a prototype car for evaluation as a production item. The intended sales market is the nonprofessional weekend autocross racer. Therefore, the car must have very high performance in terms of its acceleration, braking, and handling qualities. The car must be low in cost, easy to maintain, and reliable. In addition, the car’s marketability is enhanced by other factors such as aesthetics, comfort, and the use of common parts. The manufacturing firm is planning to produce four cars per day for a limited production run and the prototype vehicle should actually cost below $30,000. The challenge to the design team is to design and fabricate a prototype car that best meets these goals and intents. Each design will be compared and judged with other competing designs to determine the best overall car.

The cars are judged in a series of static and dynamic events including: static inspection and engineering design, solo performance trials, and high performance track endurance. These events are scored to determine how well the car performs. In each event, the manufacturing firm has specified minimum acceptable performance levels that are reflected in the scoring equations.


The Scoring System (taken from the Formula SAE rules)

Cost Report: This event is worth 100 points that is broken into four segments. The car with the lowest retail cost with get 30 points. The most professional presentation and report will receive another 30 points. On the inspection day, 20 points will be awarded for the car's content and manufacturing feasibility. The last 20 points will go towards how the team explains a detailed manufacturing process of two randomly selected items.

Sales Presentation: This event, judged by real world management from the auto industry, is worth 75 points. Teams create a marketing presentation to simulate trying to sell their car design to a potential manufacturer.

Design: This presentation, worth 0 to 150 points, is based on the judges discretion. Judges are Carroll Smith and other prominent engineers in the auto industry. The judges have worked with or for premier racing series. The judges inspect the car and how it was manufactured with a fine-tooth comb. Team members are questioned for design parameters and data reasons. These questions are similar to those that a real-world race engineer would have to answer.

Acceleration: Scoring is determined by taking the ratio of the acceleration time of the slowest allowed car (5.8 seconds) divided by the fastest car. A total of 75 points is possible for the 75 meter drag-style event.

Skid-Pad: This event measures the cornering ability of the car on a flat surface while making a constant-radius turn. The track consists of a figure-eight of two 25 ft diameter circles. Two complete laps are necessary for a consistent timing. This event is worth 50 points by rank.

Autocross: The concept of the autocross event is to evaluate the car's maneuverability and handling qualities on a tight course without the hindrance of competing cars. The autocross course will combine the performance features of the acceleration, braking, and cornering. Points are awarded on a ranking system, with a total possible of 150 points, where knocked over cones have a 2 second time penalty.

Endurance: The endurance events is designed to evaluate the overall performance of the car and to test the car's reliability. The car's fuel economy is also scored during this event. the fuel economy under racing conditions is important in most forms of racing and also shows how well the car has been tuned for the competition. This is a compromise event, because the fuel economy score will be calculated from the same heat. No refueling is allowed at the driver change during the driver change of the 13.66 mile heat. A team can earn a total of 300 points for the endurance event and 50 points for the fuel economy event.