What is fh6-virtual_tcu?

This project is a tool that automatically shifts gears for you while playing Forza Horizon 6, a racing video game. It runs outside the game itself, reading live telemetry data the game sends out, such as speed, RPM, throttle position, and brake pressure, and then presses the shift up and shift down keys on your behalf based on how you are driving. To use it, you first switch the game's transmission setting to manual with no clutch and set your keyboard shift bindings to specific keys, then turn on the game's telemetry data output so it sends information to the tool over your local network. The tool comes as a downloadable Windows program, so most players just extract a zip file and run it as an administrator, no programming knowledge required. Developers who want to run it from the source code instead need Python and, if they plan to modify the visual dashboard, Node.js as well. Once running, it opens a web page in your browser that acts as a live dashboard, showing your gear, speed, RPM, throttle and brake input, and other engine details while you race. There are six drive modes to choose from, ranging from a fuel-efficient comfort setting to an aggressive race setting that holds gears close to redline, plus a drift mode and an offroad mode, and a manual mode that turns the automatic shifting off entirely. You can switch between these modes with a keyboard shortcut while the game is running. The tool also lets you record your telemetry data as you drive, either capturing just the moments around gear shifts or the full stream of data, which can be useful for reviewing your driving sessions later. All of your settings, saved driving profiles, and recorded logs are stored in files near the program itself. The project is written in Python for the backend and uses Vue for its web dashboard, and it is maintained by a member of a Forza Mods Discord community for players of the game. It only works on Windows and requires administrator privileges because it needs to send keyboard input directly into the game.