'Driver's Eye' camera puts fans in the heart of the action

Formula E introduced the 'Driver's Eye' camera at the Santiago ePrix, the first FIA homologated camera to be fitted inside a driver's race helmet.

The first question you may have is, why? The simple answer is, why not? The camera is mounted out of sight of the driver, inside the visor on one side of the internal cushioning.

The camera puts fans in the car with the driver where all of the forces at play can be seen properly. The camera is very shaky, but this is something that you would expect with the air rushing over the car as quickly as it is.

One interesting quirk is that, with the technology still very much in it's infancy, the camera is not yet able to adapt to the lighting change when a driver changes from a clear visor to a tinted or mirrored equivalent.

"I think it is cool how Driver’s Eye shows fans exactly what I am seeing during a race in real time," said Venturi driver Felipe Massa. "It gives the viewers insight into the tight and challenging city-centre circuits that we race on in Formula E and it demonstrates what drivers need to manage and control over the course of a race. I like tech like this, that brings fans even closer to the action.

"Driver’s Eye is a great way to show the work that goes on behind the wheel."

There is currently no indication that Formula One intend on introducing the innovation in 2020, but given the initial positive reaction from fans of Formula E, it may not be long before it appears in a practice session or two.

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