What is a full-motion racing simulator?
A full-motion racing simulator like the ACTORACER moves the entire cockpit — seat, wheel, pedals and screens together — using electric actuators instead of only vibrating. Acceleration, braking, kerbs, loss of grip and surface changes reach your body, not just your eyes. ACTORACER builds these actuators in house in Windeck, Germany, and delivers mechanics, electronics and software as one turnkey system. The range runs from the compact NANO to the ULTIMATE for centers, motorsport teams and industry.
What is the difference between a racing simulator and a driving simulator?
At ACTORACER it is the same full-motion platform; the difference is the controls, the software and the purpose. As a racing simulator it runs a race wheel, race setups and over 150 race tracks; as a driving simulator it runs a steering column with indicators, a gearshift and traffic scenarios for driving schools, authorities and industry. Both variants use the same in-house actuators, the same direct-drive steering and the same hydraulic pedals. That is why an existing ACTORACER can be reconfigured instead of replaced.
What does DOF mean in a motion simulator, and how many degrees of freedom does an ACTORACER have?
DOF stands for degrees of freedom — the axes a simulator can reproduce: pitch, roll, yaw, heave, surge and sway. Depending on the model, an ACTORACER reproduces several degrees of freedom, and the motion always moves the complete platform, not just the seat. The number alone matters less than how fast and how linearly the actuators translate the vehicle data. ACTORACER drives its actuators straight from the simulation software, with no third-party layer in between.
What is the difference between a seat mover, traction loss and a platform mover?
A seat mover moves only the seat, traction loss tilts or rotates the chassis to depict loss of grip, and a platform mover — the ACTORACER design — moves the entire cockpit, including wheel, pedals and screens, in sync. With a platform mover the line of sight to the image stays stable, because image and body move together. That is exactly what reduces the eye-versus-balance conflict that often causes discomfort on seat movers. ACTORACER therefore uses platform-mover kinematics throughout instead of seat-only motion.
What are actuators and why are they better than vibration modules?
Actuators are electromechanical drives that move the cockpit in a controlled, targeted way — ACTORACER develops and builds them in house in Windeck. They reproduce real forces: brake dive, lateral acceleration in a corner, kerbs, ripple strips and surface transitions. Vibration modules or bass shakers only create oscillation without direction or amplitude, so they deliver no usable driving feel. Because the actuators come from ACTORACER's own production, spare parts, service and software updates all run through the manufacturer.
Why do some simulators cause motion sickness and the ACTORACER does not?
Discomfort comes from a conflict between what the eyes see and what the balance organs feel — the ACTORACER avoids it because image and body perform exactly the same motion on the platform mover. Wheel, pedals and screens are fixed to the moving platform, so the line of sight never shifts relative to the driver. On top of that, the motion is controlled straight from the vehicle data, with no delay from intermediate software. In centers and at events, guests with no sim racing experience therefore drive long sessions.
What sets a CE-certified simulator apart from gaming hardware?
A CE-certified simulator like the ACTORACER is a machine with a documented risk assessment, an emergency-stop concept, defined motion limits and a declaration of conformity — gaming hardware is consumer equipment without any of that evidence. For commercial operation in centers, driving schools, trade fairs and industry this is the prerequisite, because third parties sit on the machine. ACTORACER supplies simulators built for continuous operation, including training, service and remote maintenance. Users of the platform include Fernando Alonso, Kai Ebel and JP Performance.