Schaeffler Innovation Taxi: Bringing technical advances to life in the DTM
Technological progress is not just one of the driving forces of motorsport – it is also what makes Schaeffler a pioneer in the field of mobility. Since the 2023 DTM season, the Innovation Taxi has seen Schaeffler bring a race taxi to the track that showcases technological advances at racing speed. From the start of the 2026 season, the Schaeffler Innovation Taxi has a new look – a combination of Schaeffler green and white now visually illustrates its origin, whilst at the same time referencing the Schaeffler innovations, which have made it a true pioneer at the racetrack.
- Former champion drives the Schaeffler Innovation Taxi: the Audi R8 LMS GT2
- Schaeffler Innovation Taxi: Motor racing as a catalyst for automotive innovations
- Schaeffler pioneering feats put to the test in the race taxi
- Sport Bild Motorsport Innovations Award goes to the Schaeffler Innovation Taxi
- Discover automotive innovation: Schaeffler Technologie Deep Dives
- Further information
Former champion drives the Schaeffler Innovation Taxi: the Audi R8 LMS GT2
In an interview, DTM champion Mike Rockenfeller explains the steer-by-wire steering system and takes the Schaeffler Innovation Taxi for a spectacular spin.
The Schaeffler Innovation Taxi in the DTM is an approved GT2 racing car: the Audi R8 LMS GT2. It is in action at every DTM race weekend in 2026 and is driven by well-known racing drivers like Markus Winkelhock and Mike Rockenfeller. Rockenfeller won the driver’s title in the touring car series with the Schaeffler Audi in 2013. His other successes include winning the 24 hours of Le Mans in 2010.
However, racing drivers are not the only ones who have the opportunity to experience fascinating new technologies in action at first hand. The Schaeffler Innovation Taxi is also taking over the role of DTM race taxi. This gives its drivers and guests inspiring driving experiences, whilst at the same time bringing technological progress to life. It also meets the highest safety requirements.
Schaeffler Innovation Taxi: Motor racing as a catalyst for automotive innovations
As the carrier vehicle for innovative technical ideas and their implementation, the Schaeffler Innovation Taxi is the epitome of what Schaeffler embodies as the innovation partner of the DTM. It focuses Schaeffler’s technological expertise on a single vehicle and shows which innovations may soon be making their way onto the racetrack and the road.
The Audi R8 GT2 taxi is equipped with steer-by-wire technology. Motorsport is an ideal training platform for further developing Space Drive, the steer-by-wire technology from Schaeffler. The data collected during race weekends will be evaluated alongside the feedback from the drivers. This will provide important insights for the use and further development of the Space Drive system in series production.
Schaeffler pioneering feats put to the test in the race taxi
Numerous Schaeffler pioneering feats have premiered in the Schaeffler Innovation Taxi since its debut in 2023. They include the individually configurable steering angle of the car. Markus Winkelhock successfully tested the technology at the Hockenheimring. The effect was particularly impressive in the hairpin: usually, the corner requires the drivers to rotate the steering wheel about 180 degrees. However, a 90-degree rotation is sufficient with the Schaeffler system. The variable steering angle also has other benefits – particularly in conventional road traffic.
One year later, the Schaeffler Innovation Taxi became the first touring car to line up with rear-wheel steering. The Schaeffler system had previously made its debut in production vehicles. The test now demonstrated that the technological edge has a positive effect on both the road and the racetrack.
In 2025, Schaeffler went a step further: Markus Winkelhock took to the track at the Hockenheimring in an Audi R8 production vehicle without a steering wheel. The secret: Schaeffler had replaced the steering wheel in the test car with a new guidance concept – two joysticks. In the future, the joystick steering could also be introduced to the Schaeffler Innovation Taxi – the technology has passed its first test in that regard.
The Innovation Taxi is also the ideal car for Schaeffler, with which to demonstrate the performance and sustainability of alternative fuels. Since the DTM race weekend at the Lausitzring in 2023, the Audi R8 LMS GT2 has been powered by synthetic fuels (SynFuels), also known as eFuels.
Sport Bild Motorsport Innovations Award goes to the Schaeffler Innovation Taxi
The Schaeffler Innovation Taxi combines numerous technologies and innovations from Schaeffler in one fascinating vehicle. It thus embodies everything that characterises Schaeffler as a motion technology company.
The Schaeffler Innovation Taxi succeeds in making technology that is difficult to grasp - because it is not visible in the vehicle - an emotional experience. In 2023, Schaeffler not only impressed more than 100 guests in the cockpit of the racing taxi, but also the experts.
The jury of the magazine Sport Bild presented the coveted Sport Bild Motorsport Innovations Award 2023 to Schaeffler's Innovation Taxi.
The winners of the Sport Bild Motorsport Innovations Award 2023: CEO Powertrain & Chassis Matthias Zink (centre), DTM Innovation Taxi driver Markus Winkelhock (right), Head of Global Sponsoring Sören Zinner (left)
The Schaeffler Innovation Taxi is a carrier vehicle for innovative technical ideas and their implementation.
Discover automotive innovation: Schaeffler Technologie Deep Dives
For Schaeffler, the DTM is the perfect setting for testing new technologies. Initial test drives often take place with the Schaeffler Innovation Taxi.
The Nürburgring Nordschleife
Why do we at Schaeffler test our new technologies on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife? That’s simple: there is no tougher test site in the world. If it works there, it works everywhere. The perfect circuit and the perfect test driver? A successful combination!
Rear-wheel steering
How do we at Schaeffler transfer groundbreaking technology from a road car to a race car? Well, that is precisely what we did with the rear-wheel steering in the Schaeffler Innovation Taxi. Not only did it work – it even made the race car faster.
Steer-by-wire
Steer-by-wire – one of the most familiar examples of how Schaeffler technology can be implemented in a race car. Steering with no mechanical connection to the wheels. Only electronics, which give the racing driver a perfect feel for the limits of the car. Sounds impossible? Not for us. It works – and we can prove it, race by race.
