The International Transportation Innovation Center (ITIC) in South Carolina, USA has revealed plans of a major expansion to attract more work in the areas of advanced technology including enhanced wireless charging, automatic parking, and zero-emission vehicles. ITIC has contracted Tilke to draw up a detailed master plan that should be finalized by early summer 2015.
“The magnitude of what the ITIC master plan represents to the automotive industry cannot be overstated. The sheer size and scope of the property and its anticipated offerings are certain to make it an indispensible testing facility for automotive manufacturers, suppliers, R&D experts, race teams, and so many others,” said Johannes Hogrebe, head of civil engineering, Tilke.
Future plans include the addition of an 83-acre handling track, an enhanced urban track that simulates in-town driving, a 30- to 40-acre off-road test zone, a 27-acre road safety training center, and a dynamic innovation research lab.
Leveraging existing facilities, along with a phased built-out of the site over the next couple of years, ITIC believes it is well-positioned to become a relevant R&D and event site in transportation, that’s ideally located in a major automotive manufacturing cluster with a presence of international OEM’s such as BMW and Michelin, among others. Linking the site with advanced technology developments in transportation — including in-motion wireless charging, vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication, automated driving, and next generation information and communication networks — it will become an attractive partner for national and international players in the industry.
March 12, 2015