The world’s longest indoor test track for self-driving vehicles

The Swedish test bed AstaZero, located in Hällered outside Borås, is the world’s first full-scale independent test and demonstration environment for future traffic safety.

Every year, more than 1.2 million people worldwide are killed in traffic accidents. Active safety is a way to reduce the number of fatal accidents. The next step is systems for automated driving and AstaZero offers a unique facility with different traffic environments that makes it possible to test advanced safety systems and their functions for different types of traffic and traffic situations.

Many of the advanced cameras and sensors required for future road safety systems need to be tested and verified in repeatable lighting conditions such as backlighting and shadows.

– How do we provide a controlled outdoor environment in an environment that is largely characterized by rain, snow and darkness during part of the year, asks Peter Janevik, CEO of AstaZero.

The answer will stand ready at AstaZero in the beginning of February 2021, with the world’s longest and largest indoor track. The track will measure 700 meters long and 40 meters wide, with a central part of 140 meters that will be 60 meters wide. To be able to house trucks, buses and cars, the indoor track has an internal ceiling height of 4.6 meters.

With development cycles constantly decreasing over time, the industry’s need for accessibility to the test environment must be increased at the same time.

– Tomorrow’s road safety system requires an enormous amount of testing, which means work around the clock, 365 days a year. With our new indoor track, we will provide daylight and dry road tracks at 03.00 on a November night, says Peter Janevik, CEO of AstaZero.

The investment is supported by the Västra Götaland region’s program for sustainable transport with SEK 10 million.