Test track
A test track is a test site for vehicles, both motor vehicles and rail vehicles , whose routes (roads or rails) are separated from the regular flow of traffic. The vehicles can be tested here realistically or under extreme conditions and loads.
Test track for motor vehicles
Test tracks for motor vehicles are drivable courses that serve as training grounds for racing drivers and as a test area for new car and tire models . In contrast to motorsport racetracks homologated by the FIA or the respective national motorsport association , they were and are mostly built and maintained without public funding and are not used to conduct official races. That is why they are usually not equipped with any noteworthy facilities (e.g. grandstands) for spectators.
Vehicle and tire manufacturers need test tracks in order to obtain measurement data for new products and to detect errors. A new car model is tested extensively before it goes on sale. It is also important to test the vehicle under extreme weather conditions; therefore, some test tracks are located in sub-polar or desert regions. Since the 1990s, many test drives have been able to be replaced by computer simulations , but real test track drives cannot be replaced for fine-tuning the handling and practical tests on material fatigue.
There are pure test tracks that are usually operated by car or tire manufacturers. In addition, manufacturers also test on racetracks when no races are being held there. The Nordschleife of the Nürburgring is particularly popular here - also with non-European companies - because a wide range of road conditions that also occur in everyday life can be mapped and tested here. Test tracks are a popular destination for the photo reporters of the automobile press, because there it is possible to photograph new models before their market launch (“ Erlkönige ”).
In France in particular , numerous smaller courses are traditionally in private hands, with no direct connection to the automotive industry. These tracks can usually be rented by individuals, clubs or companies on a daily or half-day basis, although official racing events are often excluded.
Test tracks for trolleybuses
In the north-west of the Czech Republic , the Škoda company maintained its own test line for trolleybuses from 1963 to 2004 . It was 6.1 kilometers long, up to 12% steep and led from the manufacturing plant in Dolní Žďár, a district of Ostrov nad Ohří on the public road to Jáchymov . In the course of 2006 the overhead line was dismantled.
List of test tracks for motor vehicles
Europe
Austria
- Digitrans Automotive Proving Ground, test track for autonomous driving in St. Valentin, Austria
Belgium
- Ford Europe's main test site in Lommel (Ford Lommel Proving Ground), with a track length of approx. 100 km. Used by Ford for the chassis - and operating strength design used all motorcars (Pascar) in Europe.
Germany
- Aldenhoven Testing Center in Siersdorf , Düren district
- Test site of ATP Automotive Testing Papenburg GmbH (12 km oval circuit that offers various courses and indoor replica Hockenheimring -Kurzanbindung as handling course), mainly from Daimler AG used
- Contidrom (2.8 km high-speed oval), Wietze , belongs to Continental
- BMW exhibition grounds in Aschheim near the Ismaninger reservoir
- VW test site Ehra-Lessien (21 km oval circuit and various indoor courses)
- VW test site at the Wolfsburg plant
- Opel test center Dudenhofen (4.8 km circular route), Rodgau-Dudenhofen
- Porsche test site in the Weissach development center (2.5 km)
- Porsche entry and test track in Leipzig
- Porsche Experience Center Hockenheimring
- Bosch test center Boxberg (3 km high-speed oval )
- Audi test track in Neustadt an der Donau , Schwaig district
- Ford test track, Cologne
- MAN test track, Munich
- Fact-motion testing and testing site, Benningen (Memmingen)
- Bilster Berg (test and presentation track), Bad Driburg
- DEKRA test oval (5.8 km), EuroSpeedway Lausitz , Schipkau-Klettwitz
- LuK Driving Center (2.77 km), in the Baden-Airpark near Rheinmünster
- WABCO test track, Jeversen
- Test track of the Institute for Automotive Engineering at RWTH Aachen University , Aachen (600 m)
- Test track of the Vehicle Technology Department (FZD) at TU Darmstadt , driving area 1150 × 20 m, 80 × 40 m, small circular area and circuit, in Griesheim (South Hesse)
- Bundeswehr test track in Trier - Wehrtechnische Dienststelle 41 for motor vehicles and tanks (WTD 41) 49 ° 45 ′ 54 ″ N , 6 ° 41 ′ 41 ″ E
- Test site Neubiberg of the University of the Federal Armed Forces Munich , research center MOVE
- Krauss-Maffei Wegmann test site for military wheeled and tracked vehicles and pioneer equipment in Allach (Munich), 48 ° 11 ′ 45.7 ″ N , 11 ° 28 ′ 22.9 ″ E
- Driving Center Groß Dölln Airport Templin / Groß Dölln
- Mercedes-Benz test track in Stuttgart-Bad Cannstatt
- Mercedes-Benz Test and Technology Center Immendingen
- Mercedes-Benz development and test center in Wörth am Rhein
- IVECO test track in Markbronn near Ulm (originally test track from Magirus-Deutz ) 48 ° 23 ′ 17.7 ″ N , 9 ° 50 ′ 19.3 ″ E
- IVECO test route in Ulm (Donautal industrial area, Ernst-Abbe-Strasse) 48 ° 21 ′ 14.2 ″ N , 9 ° 55 ′ 54.4 ″ E
- TÜV Rheinland test site on the former Army Aviation Airfield in Mendig
- TRIWO test center, horse field , manufacturer-independent test center with 3.0 km long and 100 m wide main slope as well as a total of 6.6 km of versatile test tracks on 320 hectares
- TRIWO test center Zweibrücken
Finland
- Arctic Driving Center, Rovaniemi
- Lapland Proving Ground, Muonio
- Test World, Ivalo
- WABCO Winter Test Track, Rovaniemi , Finland
Great Britain
- Millbrook Proving Ground in Millbrook , Bedford is owned by Lotus
- MIRA Proving Ground, Nuneaton , Warwickshire
- TRL Proving Ground, Wokingham , Berkshire
- Llandow Circuit , Vale of Glamorgan , Wales
- Jaguar Land Rover and Aston Martin Development Center test track , Gaydon , Warwickshire 52 ° 11 ′ 8.7 ″ N , 1 ° 29 ′ 30 ″ W
France
- Anneau du Rhin (Rheinring), Biltzheim (near Colmar ), privately owned
- Mas du Clos, near Les Puids , privately owned
- BMW test site, Miramas
- Ladoux, test tracks of the Michelin Technology Center, north of Clermont-Ferrand
- Circuit de Bordeaux-Merignac, Mérignac
- Circuit du Laquais, near Champiers , privately owned
- Circuit de Mornay, Chateau de Mornay
- Circuit de Folembray, near Soissons
- Circuit Jean-Pierre Beltoise , Trappes-Élancourt
- Circuit Fay-de-Bretagne, Fay-de-Bretagne
- Circuit du Grand Sambuc, Vauvenargues
- Circuit de Bresse, Frontenaud
- Pôle Mécanique Alès en Cévennes, Saint Martin de Valgalgues
- Circuit du Var, Le Luc
- Complexe Automobile de l'Auxois, Pouilly-en-Auxois
- Circuit de Carole, Tremblay-en-France
- EIA Circuit Automobile, Pont-l'Évêque
- Circuit de Bois-Guyon, Dreux
- CEERTA Circuits d'Issoire, Issoire
- Test center Fontagne, Salon-de-Provence ( Michelin )
Italy
- Pista di Fiorano , Fiorano Modenese , Ferrari test track,
- Pista di Nardò , Nardò (southern Italy), belongs to the Porsche Engineering Group
- Pista di Vairano , Vairano di Vidigulfo
Spain
- Circuito Ascari , Ronda (private track, without homologation)
- Michelin test center Almería , east of the city near the town of Ruescas.
- IDIADA Proving Ground, Santa Oliva (near Barcelona )
- INTA test track, Madrid
Sweden
- Arctic Falls Proving Grounds near Älvsbyn , used in particular by the VW AG group brands
- Arjeplog Test Center, Arjeplog with the following test sites:
- Vaitoudden Bosch Proving Ground-Robert Bosch GmbH
- Cartest AB, used by Knorr-Bremse and Delphi Corporation , among others
- Colmis Proving Ground, used by Alfa Romeo , Fiat , Ferrari , Lancia , Opel and Saab , among others
- Galtis AB
- A-Tent AB, used by Porsche
- Icemakers, used by BMW , Citroën , Mercedes-Benz , Peugeot , Renault and MAN , among others
- Arvidsjaur (snow and ice tracks)
- AstaZero , at Borås , specializes in vehicle safety and ADAS
- Tjintok Förvaltning AB near Slagnäs, used in particular by the VW AG group brands
- Jokkmokk (snow slopes), belongs to Continental
- Hällered Proving Ground, Hällered , is owned by Volvo Personvagner AB and AB Volvo .
Other European countries
- Circuit Goodyear , Goodyear Technical Center Luxembourg (also race track), Colmar-Berg , Luxembourg
- DTC test track, DTC - Dynamic Test Center AG, Vauffelin ( Biel / Bienne ), Switzerland
- RAISCH GROUP Driving technique and proving ground center Burgkirchen , manufacturer-independent training and test center for cars and motorcycles
- Zalaegerszeg Test Track (ZalaZone), Zalaegerszeg , Hungary
America
United States
- Arizona Proving Ground (APG), Yucca, Arizona , has been owned by Chrysler since 2008
- Arizona Proving Grounds (APG), Maricopa, Arizona , is owned by Volkswagen
- Chrysler Proving Ground (CPG), Chelsea, Michigan , is owned by Chrysler
- General Motors Test Track, Gilbert, Arizona ,
- Ford (formerly Volvo ) Arizona Proving Ground (FAPG), Wittmann (Arizona) ,
- Michigan Proving Ground (MPG), Romeo, Michigan , is owned by Ford
- MBtech Proving Ground, Laredo, Texas , is owned by Mercedes-Benz
- Dearborn Development Center, Dearborn , Michigan , is owned by Ford
- The Brimley Development Center (2 mile tarmac loop), Brimley, Michigan , is owned by Continental
- Uvalde Proving Grounds (13,7 km high-speed oval), Uvalde ( Texas ), is one of Continental
- Florida Evaluation Center (FEC), Naples, Florida , owned by Ford
- Cold Climate Test Facility, Bemidji ( Minnesota ), is one of Ford
- BMW Testing Facility (3.9 km), Greer (South Carolina)
- Michelin Laurens Proving Grounds, Laurens (South Carolina) , south of town
- Toyota Test Track Ottawa Lake in Michigan
Canada
- Mosport Driver Development Center , Bowmanville
- Extreme Cold Weather Test Facility (ECWTF), Thompson , Manitoba , owned by Ford
Other countries in America
- Cuautitlan Proving Ground, Cuautitlan , Mexico , is owned by Ford
- Tatui Proving Ground, São Paulo , Brazil , is owned by Ford
Australia
- Lara / You Yangs Proving Ground, You Yangs , Victoria (near Melbourne), is owned by Ford
- GM Holden Ltd. Lang Lang Proving Ground, Bass Highway, Lang Lang, Victoria. Belongs to GM .
Asia
Japan
- Mitsubishi test track, Tokachi
- Honda test track, Motegi, Japan
- Honda test track, Takasu
- Honda test track, Tochigi
- Toyota test track, Shibetsu
- Suzuki test track, Shimokawa Hokkaido
Korea
China
- Shanghai Volkswagen proving ground in Jiading District near Shanghai 31 ° 19 ′ 12.6 ″ N , 121 ° 10 ′ 25.3 ″ E
Test tracks for rail vehicles
There are only a few test tracks for rail vehicles. They usually consist of circuits several kilometers in length. See also test track for rail vehicles
Web links
- Website of TÜV Rheinland - Vehicle Testing Mendig
- Website of the test track IDIADA (English)
- INTA test track website
- Website of the DTC test track (Switzerland)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Ford Lommel Proving Ground website , accessed July 13, 2019.
- ↑ The test track - General information - Motorsport - Dr. Ing.hc F. Porsche AG. Retrieved on May 23, 2020 (Swiss Standard German).
- ↑ Porsche Experience Center Hockenheimring opened. Retrieved May 16, 2020 .
- ^ Automotive Engineering: Griesheim Airfield. Retrieved May 23, 2020 (English).
- ↑ Proving Grounds. Retrieved June 7, 2020 .
- ↑ Horse Field Test Center. In: Kfz - Testcenter. Retrieved on May 23, 2020 (German).
- ↑ TRIWO test center Zweibrücken. In: TRIWO. Retrieved on May 23, 2020 (German).
- ↑ Ladoux test tracks on the Michelin website. Retrieved July 23, 2012
- ↑ Test Plug in Fontagne on the website of Michelin. Retrieved July 23, 2012
- ↑ Test tracks in Almería on the Michelin website. Retrieved July 23, 2012
- ↑ Your guide to Applus + IDIADA Headquarters and Main Technical Center . Retrieved December 3, 2017
- ^ Volkswagen Group of America Locations . Retrieved January 13, 2018
- ↑ Test sticking in Laurens on the Michelin website. Retrieved July 23, 2012