Stellantis invests in two new test centres
Stellantis has invested €33Mn in two of its test centres to advance the development of electric vehicles and autonomous driving functions. The capital will support a safety test centre in Italy and a wind tunnel in the USA.
Stellantis says that four test tracks have been extensively renovated at the Orbassano Safety Centre near Turin. These now offer the possibility for full testing of battery-electric vehicles and autonomous driving technology for cars, trucks and light commercial vehicles. Five million euros have gone into the safety centre.
The “test tracks” in Orbassano are primarily for crash tests. The facility currently conducts at least two crash tests a day and plans to test more than 275 electric vehicles this year. The vehicles tested in Orbassano can be certified according to more than 175 international safety and technology standards.
In the USA, the wind tunnel in Auburn Hills in the state of Michigan will be expanded by the use of MGP technology (Moving Ground Plate), which simulates driving on the road and enables more accurate measurement of the aerodynamics of electric vehicles. This should reduce aerodynamic drag during development, improving the range of the vehicles. This is not specific to electric cars; internal combustion vehicles would also benefit from better aerodynamics via lower fuel consumption – but the effect is smaller, which is why it is not as much of a focus as it is for electric cars.
“Our world-class tech hubs across the globe are doing the work today that will make tomorrow’s Stellantis vehicles industry leaders in capability, performance and safety,” says Harald Wester, Stellantis Chief Engineering Officer.
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