Formula E Racing: Build your own MyMiniRaceCar

Adafruit and TE Connectivity's MyMiniRaceCar

DigiKey, along with Adafruit and TE Connectivity, is excited to provide customers with an easy-to-set-up kit to create their own mini racecar. Adafruit has re-released the second version of their wildly popular Adabox (called the MyMiniRaceCar) with an additional temperature and humidity sensor breakout board which utilizes the HTU21D (HPP845E031R4) sensor from TE Connectivity. The brains of the MyMiniRaceCar Project Pack is the Feather 32u4 Bluefruit: Adafruit’s variant of an Arduino-compatible Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) board for familiar designers and newcomers alike. For a quick overview and set-up, check out John Park from Adafruit’s project overview.

This kit pays homage to the Andretti Formula E team racecars of which TE Connectivity is a sponsor. With its inaugural ePrix in 2014, Formula E bridged the gap between racing and sustainable mobility. In its third year Formula E is ramping up to become the leader in digital sports, by utilizing social media, YouTube, and its own interactive FanBoost fan interaction.

The HTU21D Digital RH Sensor with Temperature Output

Beyond the mini racecar, the HTU21D from TE Connectivity illustrates just how easy it is to sense temperature and humidity. The HTU21D sensors are plug-and-play by allowing for direct connection with a microcontroller via digital outputs. Since every sensor is individually calibrated and tested by TE Connectivity, they are immediately ready for prototyping and design. Additionally, an option for an IP67 compliant version is available. The IP67 rating is achieved by a PTFE membrane which protects the sensor from dust and/or water immersion as well as particle contamination. See TE Connectivity’s HTU21D datasheet for additional information.

Along with sponsoring the Andretti Team, TE Connectivity’s own Judith Henzel is an automotive engineer with the team. Judith is responsible for co-creating new technologies that are incorporated in the Andretti Formula E racecars. She is currently working on projects that utilize aluminum wire harnesses and sensors illustrating the quality of TE Connectivity components in harsh environments–no matter how unique the application.

The partnerships between DigiKey, Adafruit and TE Connectivity further enhances our combined goal of providing leading edge product, whether in the idea, design, or manufacture phase, combined with technical support and customer service so you can spend more time on your project.