Canadian haptic technology company D-BOX has renewed its rights deal with the Federation Internationale de L’Automobile (FIA), the governing body of world motorsport.
As a result, the company will be the only one to offer FIA-licensed haptic systems designed to provide immersive sim racing experiences.
Haptic technology involves the process of creating the sense of touch using vibrations, motion sensors, and other forces. In the case of sim racing, the technology is used to generate the sense of G-forces created when driving a racecar.
Alongside having the exclusive license, D-BOX and the FIA will collaborate to develop a range of licensed sim racing products to be sold through various retailers. In addition, the agreement includes the company providing products to the FIA to develop its own sim racing initiatives.
Throughout 2024, the FIA has bolstered its efforts to increase its presence within the sim racing sector. In May, the governing body joined forces with the iRacing platform to launch the F4 Esports Global Championship.
For the past three years, it has also included esports as part of the FIA Motorsport Games, a multi-discipline event featuring competitions on iRacing and Assetto Corsa Competizione alongside real-world racing.
D-BOX is no stranger to esports and sim racing. In November 2023, the company partnered with sim racing cockpit manufacturer PlaySeat to integrate its haptic technology into its products. In recent years, the company has also sponsored a number of sim racing teams including SDL eSports.
Sébastien Mailhot, CEO of D-BOX Technologies, spoke on the news: “D-BOX is honoured to renew our licensing agreement with the FIA, a globally recognised authority in motorsports.
“This exclusive official license for haptic systems reaffirms our dedication to providing state-of-the-art motion simulation solutions that enhance training and performance while also promoting safety and innovation in motorsports.”
