Toyota is Building Its Own Self-Driving Test Facility
The Toyota Research Institute (TRI) has announced a closed-course test facility in Michigan.
The new site is being built to develop automated vehicle technology, as the Japanese automaker continues to invest in self-driving cars. The approximately 60-acre site will be at Michigan Technical Resource Park (MITRP) in Ottawa Lake. Toyota is aiming to have it operational this October and it will be used exclusively by TRI to safely replicate demanding “edge case” driving scenarios that Toyota says are too dangerous to perform on public roads.
TRI’s facility will be constructed inside MITRP’s 1.75-mile oval test track and it will include congested urban environments, slick surfaces, and a four-lane divided highway with high-speed entrance and exit ramps. Toyota will also have access to the oval track and other onsite facilities and services.
SEE ALSO: Toyota Has Now Halted Self Driving Car Testing Too
The new site expands the company’s closed-course testing capabilities, adding to existing partnerships with GoMentum Station in California, and Mcity and the American Center for Mobility in Michigan.
“By constructing a course for ourselves, we can design it around our unique testing needs and rapidly advance capabilities, especially with Toyota Guardian automated vehicle mode,” said Ryan Eustice, TRI senior vice president of automated driving. “This new site will give us the flexibility to customize driving scenarios that will push the limits of our technology and move us closer to conceiving a human-driven vehicle that is incapable of causing a crash.”
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Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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