New Product Ideas/Suggestions

Suggest/discuss product ideas that you'd like to see in the Fanatec ecosystem.

Comments

  • I would like to see fanatec do a display and Mount that can be attached to the wheelbases. The little clubsport displays just don't cut it.
  • 10" touch display with own cpu and os where the podium software is running.
    it can be used as virtual button box, as dashboard and as setup screen for browsing fanatec setup archives ect.. + it comunicate with wheel base, so you can adjust things live via touchscreen. and it communicate with pc too for updates, setups, data for dashboard ect.

    should be possible! 10"touchdisplay 60€, raspberry 35€,  some kind of case 5€, done :) then you can sell it for 300€

    fanatec 3in1 multi display, buttonbox, dashboard, setup manager. 
  • Joseph GossenJoseph Gossen Member, Moderator
    Fanatec Merch. Shirts, Hats, Jackets et al.
  • Podium software:

    Getting a request in there before the software is even out :)

    I am hoping the new podium software is similar to the way irFFB works, given that software based DD wheel control and filters are vital to the overall experience.  Hopefully these features (that are compatible) will work with CSW 2.5.  In that vain can we please get shift beeps included in the software given that its plugging into telemetry?  I realise its a bit left field but its one less piece of software to run and supports the eco system while also doing away with a buggy piece of software which to my eyes takes too much CPU resource up when idle.

    Then i can just run telemetry and the podium software.

    Thanks, :) Tim.
  • Usb buttkicker that works magically together with a wheelbase
  • I would like to see a data logging app I could install on my PC so if I had a problem with my wheel,Pedals,shifter,etc I could run a Fanatec data logging app whilst I used my Fanatec product that would create a log to send to Fanatec for analysis this would help you to help us.


    :)
  • I really would still love to have some multifunctional stalks for behind the wheel. While it is true that for racing they won't be used much but some people are also into Euro Truck Simulator 2 and American Truck Simulator. So having those multifunctional stalks for indicators, lights, wipers and maybe cruise control for instance would be nice.
  • Ben MansillBen Mansill Member
    edited April 2019
    30cm formula/GT wheel that comes with the magnetic shifters please.

    And, quality pedals that are sold as separate pedal units (ie. individual accelerator, brake and clutch), similar to the way other high end sim  companies let you buy, say, just the gas and brake and mount them individually to your rig get perfect spacing.

    edit: the pedals I'm suggesting don't need to be a new design. They can simply be based on the V3, except each pedal unit is standalone. The advantage is being able to get perfect pedal spacing when mounted on a rig - especially so for people that mainly drive cars with a sequential box and don't need a clutch. Based on the current cost of the V3 that would let Fanatec have really nice alternatives to the other company's premium pedal units but at a killer price advantage.
  • 30cm formula/GT wheel that comes with the magnetic shifters please.


    Def a wanted product. For me ideally: 30cm, flat bottomed, leather or PU to allow gloveless use and podium shifters.
  • I love driving vintage race cars and while your shifter and pedals are top notch, the modern steering wheel in my hands leave a little to be desired. With that in mind, I would really love if Fanatec sold of vintage wooden steering wheel.  Possibly even in a larger size like the old cars hard before power steering, though I know wheel size plays an important role in the FFB.  

    I have been toying around with the idea of trying to building my own Fanatec wooden steering wheels because I am certainly not stepping down to Thrustmaster just for their vintage wood wheel.  Plus, how cool would it be if my sim rig had the same steering wheel as the 1965 Shelby Daytona Coupe recreation I am building in my garage now.  Thought I may get the Xbox hub and do a little editing to get my vintage wheels attached.  To me it looks like the Xbox wheel hub is already really smartly designed to allow for some of this, so maybe someone has already done it.  However, it would be great if Fanatec simply offered a vintage wood wheel for sale.  
  • edited May 2019
    I think it's prioritary that Fanatec renew the website. If I remember Thomas said they are planing to make a new site. But that was a long time ago and problems are still there. Some of them:
    • Actual website is very disorganized. Things are hard to find.
    • You are some times logged and other don't. Autologon doesn't work as it should.
    • Shop is not intuitive and has bugs (i.e. adds delivery costs to digital products).
    • Not smartphone friendly, specially the comunity section.
    • Website colapses when high load (remember auctions or Black Fridays i.e.)
    • Security issues and personal data leaks.
    • Forum / Comunity are a nightmare and many things doesn't work on smartphones.
    • Color/fonts hard to read. Replies/edits usually same font and background color.
    Hope it could be improved soon...
  • I think it's prioritary that Fanatec renew the website. If I remember Thomas said they are planing to make a new site. But that was a long time ago and problems are still there. Some of them:
    • Actual website is very disorganized. Things are hard to find.
    • You are some times logged and other don't. Autologon doesn't work as it should.
    • Shop is not intuitive and has bugs (i.e. adds delivery costs to digital products).
    • Not smartphone friendly, specially the comunity section.
    • Website colapses when high load (remember auctions or Black Fridays i.e.)
    • Security issues and personal data leaks.
    • Forum / Comunity are a nightmare and many things doesn't work on smartphones.
    • Color/fonts hard to read. Replies/edits usually same font and background color.
    Hope it could be improved soon...
    I think it's very misleading to mention "security issues and data leaks" as a current issue with the website as if it happens every other day. It happened once, and was dealt with swiftly. It's not a general problem with the website.
  • If a new 30cm Formula or Gt wheel is a possibility, it would be great if Fanatec doesn't go overboard and do something like a replica F1 wheel, the kind people are posting pics of with big Motec displays etc because that would make it crazy expensive. 

    An upsized version of the current formula BUT with the magnetic paddles would be ideal.

    Or do that AND a full on ultra wheel.

  • Wheel with PS4 chip to allow use of non-PS4 wheelbases to be used on PS4.  It would be great if we could use the DD2 on Playstation.   
  • Something Like a LeoBodnar SLI that fits nicely with the DD wheel Bases. 

    Oh and a formula the same but 30cm wide 
  • For the DD base: power usage in watts on the display.
  • Wheels with illuminated Buttons plus the Option to turn lights on and off. Background light would do the job. And the Deluxe Version would be the Option to colour button light for each button. 
  • I agree, buttons on steering wheels should be back lit. I play in a room specific for gaming it is normally dark except for the light of the monitors and fans. I think most drivers play in a darkened room where (for me) its very difficult to see the wheel. My car has a wheel with back lit buttons for the same reason. While not authentic to real world racing it would be helpful for full emersion in sim racing. I really want a hardcore experience, but I am in my den with a coke and nachos. To keep things real, if I crash I break my leg with a baseball bat , douse myself with kerosine light it then jump out the window for that “ real world” effect.
  • As mentioned a 30mm formula wheel would be great. AND, another GT3 type wheel like the McLaren, which I have and LOVE!! Maybe not another replica but something similar to the 488 with plenty of buttons, rotaries etc. I have the. Carbon formula and it’s nice but just a tad too small. Fanatec, thanks for putting out great products at a great price!!!
  • I think it's prioritary that Fanatec renew the website. If I remember Thomas said they are planing to make a new site. But that was a long time ago and problems are still there. Some of them:
    • Actual website is very disorganized. Things are hard to find.
    • You are some times logged and other don't. Autologon doesn't work as it should.
    • Shop is not intuitive and has bugs (i.e. adds delivery costs to digital products).
    • Not smartphone friendly, specially the comunity section.
    • Website colapses when high load (remember auctions or Black Fridays i.e.)
    • Security issues and personal data leaks.
    • Forum / Comunity are a nightmare and many things doesn't work on smartphones.
    • Color/fonts hard to read. Replies/edits usually same font and background color.
    Hope it could be improved soon...
    I think it's very misleading to mention "security issues and data leaks" as a current issue with the website as if it happens every other day. It happened once, and was dealt with swiftly. It's not a general problem with the website.
    Remco, 

    Time to check your e-mail these few months later..
  • I would suggest for the replacement button caps please include numbered buttons that would match the PC button assignments. So when F1 2019 says press button 4 I know where it is. I've had to label up my wheel by hand.
  • 1) Podium for PS4 motor alone, without the F1 wheel.
    I use all three platforms and have the Formula V2 wheel that can handle all three, the PS4 F1 wheel would stay in the box just like my CSL Elite PS4 wheel hasn't been out of the box. For a 400-500€ wheel that would be a shame.

    2) Podium wheel, completely round and electronics integrated like the Porsche 918 wheel but Xbox compatible.
    A high-end integrated round Xbox wheel thus.
  • When’s is going to be a podium racing wheel f1bundles with pedals ps4 available Because I wanna get everything to star the sim racing game life let’s go
  • edited November 2019


    Some ideas for a new Podium Shifter:

    • Make a gear lock to prevent gear engage when wrong shifting. Explain: Most games don’t allow doing shifts if you don’t make the correct routine of you made very agressive downshifts. If you don’t make it correctly, you can insert the gear in the gearbox, but in the sim you are still in neutral. With a lock mecanism in the gearbox, the game could send a order, to unlock the gear allowing inserting the gear in the box and in the game. If you do the process wrong (don’t pressing clutch or not matching revs i.e.), the gearbox will be locked and you could’t complete the gear shift in the gear box, until you do correctly.
    • Rumble vibration when gears not engaging. Related with previous point, it can be added a rumble effect when gearbox is locked, simulating the scratching that would happen in real life.
    • Add 4 programmable buttons to the shifter for functions related with the gearbox. Explain: It could be used for functions related with the gearbox: Autogears on/off, Autoclutch on/off, Neutral, Start engine…
    • Add a contact sensor that detects when you put your hand in the knob. Explain: Games with H pattern don’t know when you are going to change, so the animation is delayed respect your real move and shifting. If the shifter detects that you have your hand on the knob ready to make the change, the animation could be better syncronized (moving the virtual hand to the knob same as you), and then doing the shift movement when you really do it, with no delayed animation.


  • I am BEGGING for a round podium NASCAR rim that allows you to still use the hub’s shifters and button boxes.

    Currently with all oval rim you can’t reach the shifters or button boxes comfortably.

  • I would like to see an accessory upgrade for wheelbase that will add a START/IGNITION buttons mounted in place of static shifters. They could be mapped anywhere on steering wheel, but I do not see a reason for doing it so and wasting precious input within reach of fingers as they are used about ones per game. Important factor is that they still need to be close to steering wheel for people driving in VR. Alternative for that could be a small button box with ignition key and Fanatec key chain fob :D

    I wonder how many people would buy a fake mirror and furry cubes with Fanatec branding sold on 1st of April. It could be just a hollow rim that would frame virtual mirror on screen. Or maybe one of those sunshade stickers that could be placed at top of windscreen or in this case top of monitor.

    The product that I would buy will be a stalks for steering wheel attached in replacement of static shifters. I understood that so many inputs will require separate USB. The inputs I expect on them are:

    • wipers
    • different kind of lights (like in real car) switched in sequential and selective mode (the same way as TC and fuel mix switches on Formula 1 v2 steering wheel)
    • indicator lights
    • horn

    Why do I need one of those? For playing City Car Driving, but I do not see why it should't benefit to huge group of people playing truck simulators like American Truck Simulator, Euro Truck Simulator 2, Spintires, etc.

    I do not see why Fanatec should not compete with Logitech (saitek) farming simulator controller. Not as an entire bundle (steering wheel + side controller) but as an addition to current CSL steering wheel ecosystem. Fanatec wheels have clusters of buttons at steering wheel. The addon pack could be just a steering wheel spinner knob for existing steering wheel and a side controller looking like this https://toyota-forklifts.co.uk/globalassets/w-inriver/resources/fingertip-control-toyota-tr.jpg?preset=Small , a palm rest with four 2-directional joysticks (if you notice two of them have side buttons for special functions) and three positional gearshift selector (forward-neutral-reverse). This design could be upgraded by 4 or 8 buttons in front of joysticks for in-game functions. Introducing a real life solution is the better what Saitek have to offer.

    To all above there is a second layer. It could benefit to disabled people. Spinner knob - that's an aid for physically impaired. Farm simulator controller is a 4 analog axis under reach of four fingers. More than enough to assign brake and acceleration. Stalks on steering wheel base are extra inputs within reach of single hand.

    Last thing I would like to mention is a possibility to make another iteration of F1 steering wheel

    That is a brilliant idea, but I have no clue how to make a steering wheel stiff enough that will not trigger forward/backwards movement during heavy driving.

  • So, alongside all the truck related comments, I have a suggestion for a product I'd like to see also. Podium pedals. And what would be the main shtick of the Podium pedals? All 3 pedals would be load cell pedals (possibly with the ease of adjustability of the CSL Elite Load Cell pedal). This would ensure a natural feeling of memorisation of pressure instead of position, thus making the pedal use feel a lot more natural. Obviously there would need to be rumble in there too (possibly even full on force feedback if that's possible). Perhaps the same could be done for a Podium shifter? Force feedback so if you attempt to gear shift without clutching properly first, the shifter will just straight lock up on you.


    As for the handbrake, I have no idea how that could be improved for Podium.

  • edited December 2020

    Corvette C8.R GTE wheel with backlighting similar to the recent BMW M4 GT3 wheel that was announced. The Corvette brand has always had a following by many peoppe, and there are no dedicated GTE wheels offered yet (the big difference between GTE and GT3 cars is GTE has no ABS). It would certainly offer more variety in the GT wheel mix offered by Fanatec, not to mention the C8.R is brand new and also was just added to iRacing.

    It also would be cool to see Fanatec get into button box/mini displays for cockpits. For example the C8.R has a display for both gearing with LEDs that change color depending on what is going on with the car and for the rev limiter as well as one for "rearview mirror" which is just a camera on the rearof the car, and it has a button box with more dials to adjust the car in ways a wheel cannot due to space limitations. It would be even cooler if all of the buttons and dials on the button box were backlit too and the brightness could be controlled by one of the dials for both displays, the button box, and the wheel like the C7.R had (and I'm pretty sure the C8.R has. It would make sim racing that much more immersive.

  • I would really like to see a fully functional headlights/turn signals and windshield wiper stalks just like on a real car. This would be a really cool accessory for a lot of people that play driving game/sims that allow the use of these functions, especially Euro Truck Simulator. I know there isn't a lot of sims that utilize some of these functions but it would add another sense of realism and emersion in the ones that do. I have seen unofficial accessories such as this for Logitech and Thrustmaster wheels ( https://www.aliexpress.com/i/4000261861165.html ), I haven't seen any for Fanatec wheel bases. I really hope to see Fanatec make a high quality item like this in the near future but sadly seems very unlikely.

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