Every piece of equipment used in DTM tests. Real specs, honest limitations, no sponsorships. The entire kit costs under $500 — because good data is about method, not money.
⚠ DISCLAIMER — No affiliate links. No sponsorships. These are tools purchased independently. Prices reflect what was paid at time of purchase and may vary.
Triaxial acceleration across X, Y, and Z axes simultaneously. Used to capture steering wheel vibration, seat vibration, and floor vibration during vehicle tests. Primary frequency range: 0–100 Hz.
Lightweight, compact, and connects wirelessly via Bluetooth to a phone app. Easy to mount on a steering wheel or seat with no special fixtures. Based on real test data, frequency accuracy is reliable for relative comparisons. Straightforward setup — no engineering lab required.
Sample rate: 200 Hz
Accuracy: 0.01 g
Stability: 0.005 g
Connection: Bluetooth
Axes: 3 (X, Y, Z)
200 Hz sample rate limits measurement to signals below 100 Hz — not suitable for high-frequency NVH analysis. Magnitude accuracy unverified against a calibrated reference. Not suitable for absolute certification or lab-grade measurements. Best used for relative comparisons between vehicles or conditions.
GPS-based vehicle speed, acceleration, and position at 25 Hz. Used to get an accurate, independent vehicle speed reference for correlating NVH data with driving conditions. Also captures X, Y, Z accelerations via its internal sensor.
25 Hz GPS update rate provides good speed resolution for vehicle dynamics testing. Dedicated hardware gives more reliable data than a phone GPS. Connects to a clean app for real-time logging and data export. Compact enough to sit on a dashboard without obstructing the view.
GPS rate: 25 Hz
Connection: Bluetooth
Data: Speed, acceleration, position, lap timing
Form factor: Compact dash mount
Expensive for what it does. A well-configured phone GPS app could provide similar speed and acceleration data for most relative testing applications — potentially at lower resolution and accuracy but adequate for many use cases. Worth it for serious testing; harder to justify for casual use.
OBD-II PIDs including vehicle speed, engine RPM, throttle position, and other standard parameters across multiple vehicle brands. On Ford vehicles via FORScan, also captures enhanced PIDs including individual wheel speeds and steering angle sensor data.
Wireless Bluetooth connection to phone app makes setup fast and clean. Logs multiple signals simultaneously with good compatibility across brands. The FORScan integration on Ford vehicles unlocks enhanced PIDs that are otherwise inaccessible — a significant advantage for detailed vehicle dynamics analysis.
Connection: Bluetooth
Protocol: OBD-II universal
Max sample rate: 10–12 Hz (standard PIDs)
Enhanced PIDs: Ford vehicles via FORScan
Multi-signal logging: Yes
Maximum sample rate drops significantly when logging multiple signals simultaneously — a real constraint for time-sensitive dynamics data. Enhanced PIDs (wheel speed, steering angle) only available on Ford vehicles via FORScan. Not a universal solution for all manufacturers. At 10–12 Hz, fast transient events may be undersampled.