Porsche releases pocket-friendly driving instructor

Porsche is about to release the equivalent of the Strava running app for your car. And what’s more, it’s free.

The German car-maker is updating its Porsche Track Precision App to record video, track detailed driver inputs, g-force numbers and speed readings, along with lap times on every major Australian circuit. The updated software will be released in Australia in the coming days as a pre-cursor to the 992-generation 911 launching on April 16.

In the past, the app was only available on Porsche’s headline GT cars, but the update will be available to any two-door Porsche with an in-built WiFi connection. If you don’t happen to own a six-figure sports car, fear not: you can still download the app to access key advice in preparing for an upcoming track day.

"It’s perfect for a club day, because we all want video and the key numbers extracted from our experience," says Porsche Cars Australia’s veteran technical representative, Paul Watson.

"We’re not in the business of selling 911s for transport. These cars are made for having fun in."

The Porsche Track Precision app works through Porsche’s PCM infotainment interface. With your phone mounted to the windscreen, you can record a forward facing video, which is then overlaid by data showing steering inputs, throttle and brake inputs and other relevant data.

Once back in the pits, you can unlock acceleration and braking data with the kind of detail that race engineers use to examine a driver’s performance. Access to these kinds of numbers, along with professional driver training is a sure-fire way to improving lap times – we can vouch!

carsales quickly delved through some of the circuits on offer and we were quickly surprised at what’s available from Australia – from headline circuits such as Phillip Island and Tailem Bend to smaller facilities such as Winton and Goulburn’s Wakefield Park.

There is also scope to create a loop and compare your time against previous attempts – in a Targa rally, for instance.

Porsche is completing the finishing touches to its Beta version before releasing to the app to the public in the coming days.