FT Techno of America (Booth 10028) has been discussing its new facility, designed specifically for ADAS and AV testing, on Day 2 of Automotive Testing Expo, Novi, Michigan 2019. The new section, based at the company’s 9,550-acre Fowlerville Proving Ground, includes city and rural intersections, roundabout and multipurpose pad and configurable, timed V2X traffic signals, all of which allow customers to create real-life scenarios.
“Our decision to build the ADAS facility was based on many factors, including industry trends, demand from our existing customers and interest from prospective future customers,” says Mike Benjamin, senior manager, operations. “Clearly, there has been a growing need in our industry to accommodate more specialized advanced safety and autonomous vehicle development, but what is not yet clear is the exact test environment required to meet this need. We know that the real world offers infinite challenges and unique scenarios for AVs, and it would be impossible to predict or recreate them all. So, we collaborated with our customers and other industry partners to identify their core needs while being mindful that we should also maximize the value of the existing proving ground.”
The new ADAS facility complements the Fowlerville Proving Ground, which has all the usual proving ground sections, including other test tracks, engineering services, specialized test equipment, safety management and security.
“As industry and regulatory requirements evolve over time,” says Benjamin, “We have set aside additional property inside our oval track to streamline future expansion of the ADAS facility. As a result, we have a unique, independent proving ground located in the heart of the auto industry that allows for traditional vehicle development, plus flexible ADAS testing in a carefully managed, safe and secure environment.”