PitLane Systems

Connecting to Assetto Corsa

Setting the AC install path, CSP requirements, sidecar deployment, and verifying data flow.

PitLane reads live race data from Assetto Corsa running on the same PC. This page covers the one-time setup and how to verify everything is working.

The in-app Setup tab walks you through all of this with live status lights and the controls embedded in place. Fresh installs open on it, and you can reopen it any time from View > Workspaces. This page is the full reference for the same steps.

Requirements

  • Assetto Corsa installed
  • Content Manager, recommended for managing AC
  • Custom Shaders Patch (CSP), any recent version with Lua app support

CSP is required because PitLane's data sidecar runs as a CSP Lua app inside AC. If you use Content Manager, CSP is likely already installed. If not, Content Manager installs it from Settings → Custom Shaders Patch.

Set your AC install path

  1. In PitLane, go to File > Settings... and open the Setup tab. The Setup workspace also offers this field while your path is still unset or invalid.
  2. Set the Install Path to your Assetto Corsa installation directory, either by typing it or clicking Browse. Typical locations are
    • D:\SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\assettocorsa
    • C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\assettocorsa

Settings apply instantly. There is no Save button. The path is validated as you type, and an invalid path is flagged in the Setup tab and in the status bar at the bottom of the main window.

PitLane needs this path to auto-deploy its data sidecar and to serve car badges, nation flags, and car preview images to the overlays.

The Settings Setup tab also holds the two ports PitLane uses.

  • Overlay server port (default 9100). The port OBS browser sources point at. Changing it takes effect the next time the server starts.
  • Sidecar WebSocket port (default 9101). The port the CSP Lua sidecar connects on. Changing it takes effect after an app restart, and the deployed sidecar picks up the new port automatically.

Leave both alone unless another application is already using those ports.

Sidecar auto-deployment

When PitLane starts, and whenever you change the AC install path, it automatically deploys a small Lua app to

<your AC path>/apps/lua/PitLaneSidecar/

This app runs inside AC and streams race data to PitLane over a local connection. You never copy files by hand.

The sidecar is version-tracked. When you update PitLane, the sidecar updates automatically on the next launch.

Activating the sidecar in AC

The sidecar needs to be activated once inside AC.

  1. Launch AC and enter a session. Practice, race, or online all work.
  2. Move your mouse to the right edge of the screen to open the CSP sidebar.
  3. Find PitLane Lua Sidecar in the list and click to activate it.
  4. The sidecar connects to PitLane automatically.

Once activated, the sidecar stays active for all future sessions. You do not need to activate it again unless you reinstall CSP.

Joining as a spectator

For broadcast use, you typically join a race as a spectator.

  • Offline races. Start a race with AI drivers. You control the camera, they race.
  • Online races. Join a server and switch to spectator mode. PitLane reads every car on the server through the sidecar.

Broadcaster settings

The Broadcaster tab in File > Settings... collects options that make PitLane easier to run as a production tool.

Auto-teleport to pits at session start

When enabled, your spectator car is automatically teleported to the pits every time you join a new session. This keeps your car out of the starting grid, off the track, and off the minimap during the broadcast, so viewers only see the actual racers.

  • Off by default.
  • Fires once per session, so you can still drive out of the pits intentionally, for example to record B-roll, without getting yanked back.
  • Requires the CSP Lua sidecar to be connected. That is the same setup as everything else on this page.

You can also trigger it mid-session from Broadcast > Teleport Spectator to Pits, or bind a hotkey for it under File > Settings... > Hotkeys in the Broadcaster group. It ships unbound.

Verifying data is flowing

Once AC is running with the sidecar active and PitLane is open

  • The leaderboard should fill with driver names and positions
  • The minimap should show car dots moving around the track
  • The program monitor should show the live AC picture, with your current camera angle highlighted in the camera bar
  • The telemetry strip, if visible, should show live speed, gear, and pedal data for the focused car

The Setup workspace shows the same thing as a lit-up pipeline diagram. If nothing appears, see Troubleshooting.

Activation & AccountOBS Setup