Volvo opens 'real' proving ground

Volvo Cars has opened a safety technology and vehicle development proving ground that features customisable Hollywood-style streetscapes and real-world traffic scenarios.

Dubbed AstaZero, the new centre cost almost $80 million and features multiple testing environments to simulate everything from neighbourhood streets to multi-lane highways.

Volvo says the opening of AstaZero and the active safety systems that the company will be able to develop there both bring the company "a step closer to realizing their [its] vision that by 2020 no one should be killed or seriously injured in a new Volvo car".

Active safety systems will be the primary focus at the new proving ground which is located near Volvo Cars headquarters in Goteborg [Gothenburg]. The centre will allow testing interaction with "moving obstacles such as other cars, pedestrians, cycles, mopeds, motorcycles, trucks, buses and even animals that suddenly appear".

Says Volvo: "In certain studies, e.g. those involving complex traffic situations and high speeds, robots will operate the test vehicles".

Volvo Cars Safety Centre spokesperson Anders Axelson stated: “Safety testing under realistic circumstances is a prerequisite for developing our active safety systems. The facility will play several important roles: not only will it help us meet our safety vision, developing cars that don’t crash, it will also help us further develop safety functions that will address non-motorists, such as pedestrians and cyclists.”

AstaZero's operations are based upon a "collaboration between academia, industry and the authorities" states Volvo. Industry partners are Volvo Car Group, Volvo Group, Scania, Autoliv and Test Site Sweden.

The facility includes a 5.7km highway connected to a city environment with four blocks, 40 by 25 metres. Rural road and high-speed environments are also featured. The city simulation of the facility includes a number of installations including varying street widths and lanes, bus stops, pavements, bike lanes, street lighting and building backdrops. It also features roundabouts, T-junction, return-loop and lab area.