Following on from this article
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/18104886
It seems that the most effective solution for protecting drivers heads from debris impacts would be to have a non transparent shield/windscreen or completly revised front structure with visual information delivered to the driver via a Head Up Display which would replace the missing part of the field of vision. Alternatly, maybe preferably a complete augmentation could involving multiple camera's and a display integrated into the drivers visor.
The additional benefits of such a system are the ability to enhance the information available to the driver i.e.:
1.Enhanced light levels in low light situation
2.Ability to activly manage overly lit sitiations
3.Integration of steering wheel delivered information, revs, shift points etc
4.Integration of additional information, tyre pressure, temperatures, fuel level, fuel consumption and predicted remaining range, Kers charge level, DRS zone notification, lap timing, gap to car in front/behind, race order, pit communications delivered additionally in text/visual form.
(clearly not all at the same time, but a in a customisable ''on demand' format)
5.Additonal external views, negating the need for rear view mirrors and covering areas previously considered 'blind spots'
6.Greater flexibilty of front end design of cars
7.Potential R&D platform for roadcar crossover technology (also maybe autonomous/semi automnomous cars, google it, it so hot right now )
8.No ugly front roll hoop
The drawbacks, as far as I can see would be:
1. Cost
1. Weight
1. Feasabilty (including ability of existing display technology to fully replicate natural vision. or do get close enough so as not to cause any impediment to the driver)
2. Glare (in the case of HUD) affecting ability to see the display.
3. Driver disorentation (camera's not being able to be mounted or possibly moved/rotated in the same position or about the same axes as the drivers head would be)
4. System failure leading to effective operatinoal blindness
5.The myriad of pschological connections made by sports stakeholders (including fans) of natural light directly entering the drivers eyes and this being fundamental to them performing their role.
The first 3 are all grouped together and could be argued to death should anyone desire, however this is Formula 1, everything about it was once deemed impossible on one of these 3 grounds at some point in the past.
For the purposes of this discussion lets assume this is in the regs for 2014 and these obstacles will be overcome, or, in the case of cost and weight, will be mitigated to the greatest possible degree.
Number 2 seems to suggest a visor display would be best.
Number 3, to me, a relative layman, could be overcome by taking the video captured from a pair of camera's (wide spaced?) and processing/altering it to display the information that would be displayed at the point the drivers head/eyes occupy.
Number 4: Many Failures on racing cars can cause safety issues, flying tyres and suspensions parts for instance. This safety issue, whilst potentially very serious, is just a numbers game. Can the system be made sufficintly reliable that it is safer to use it than not use it.
Number 5: What I think will be the main, if subconcious reason people object to this idea. Come on folks, they are already remotly flying warplanes. The remotely controlled warplane also brings me to the unlikely but undeniably possible endgame of a move in this direction - removing the drivers from the cars completly.
It's not something I'd want to see, but it would instantly solve any driver safety problems and allow car development to procced in some radical new ways. As we have seen time and again in this sport, nostalgia dosen't get you on the podium, and if you try and resist change for too long, you become obsolete.
So come on, what have you got, shoot me down, I'm fully prepared for it