By alley - Jun 22, 2017, 3:40 PM ET

New electronics coming with 2018 bodywork

IndyCar teams will have more than new bodywork to install leading into the 2018 season. With a chance to refresh the visual quality of its cars, the series is also planning to take a step forward with new engine controllers and other associated electronics to power the fleet of Dallara DW12s.

IndyCar mandated the use of McLaren Applied Technologies' TAG-400i ECU for every manufacturer to use when the 2.2-liter twin-turbo V6 formula was introduced in 2012, and it's believed a new TAG-600 model is among the ECUs under consideration for 2018. In addition to McLaren, Bosch and Cosworth could also be in the running to earn the ECU supply contract.

To complement the planned ECU update, a new dash is also being considered, which would require a significant upgrade to the DW12's onboard data acquisition system. If the existing Cosworth dash is retired, a major vendor like those named above would be needed to outfit each car.

With contracts under current negotiation, the final cost per upgrade isn't known, but an estimate of $40,000 per chassis has been mentioned within the IndyCar paddock.