Nissan has revealed details of the testing program used to optimize the performance, comfort and control of its latest vehicle, the Ariya.
Testing was conducted at the OEM’s proving ground in Hokkaido, Japan, with the vehicle undergoing performance, acceleration, handling, quietness and ride comfort tests that were then reviewed and used to refine the vehicle. The manufacturer states that a global approach was used: the winding tarmac roads of the testing facility were utilized to simulate roads found in Europe, alongside further performance testing on tight corners, fast motorways and mountain roads locally to imitate other road scenarios found internationally.
Vehicle assessment specialists based at Nissan in Japan worked alongside development technicians at Nissan’s UK-based technical center in Cranfield to share insights and adaptations to ensure the final vehicle would be suitable and compliant for use in Europe.
“Creating the Nissan Ariya has been a highly intricate, but incredibly rewarding, journey. As part of this process, we collaborated with our colleagues in Japan, inputting the European customer requirements in the early development stages and now making the final product validation right here, on European roads,” explained Ian Shepherd, project management director at Nissan Technical Centre Europe. “Through these insights and our colleagues’ detailed testing program, we’re confident that Ariya will exceed our customers’ expectations.”