GM is expanding its operations in Canada as it has just completed work on the Canadian Technical Centre (CTC) McLaughlin Advanced Technology Track.
The facility was opened near GM’s Oshawa plant, about 40 miles away from Toronto. The four-lane, oval-shaped track will allow the automaker to test advanced technology and vehicle software for endless miles if it so chooses. Speeds in the four lanes range from 60 km/h to 100 km/h (about 40 to 60 mph).
The 55-acre test site is just the latest wing of GM’s Canadian Technical Center, joining campuses in Markham, Ontario and its Kapuskasing Proving Grounds in northern Ontario.
“Canada has become the ideal place for GM to expand its engineering work for the future – and the opening of the CTC McLaughlin Advanced Technology Track will take that work even further,” said Scott Bell, GM Canada president. “We’re excited for the next big step forward in advanced technology development and testing – right here in Oshawa.”
Also Read: The 2022 Chevrolet Bolt And Bolt EUV Combine Bold Styling With Up To 259 Miles Of Range
The opening follows the company’s announcement that it will build Brightdrop EV600 electric delivery vans in Ontario at the automaker’s Ingersoll plant, which also makes the Chevrolet Equinox.
The test track’s name, meanwhile, is a reference to GM Canada’s history. Samuel McLaughlin, who founded the McLaughlin Motor Car Company in 1907, would go on to partner with American William C. Durant and become a GM board member in 1910.
The C$170 million ($133 million USD) McLaughlin Advanced Technology Track will help GM achieve its vision of a self-driven, all-electric, and highly connected future, the company said in a statement.
Although the track is now open, you may have to put those ceremonial scissors away for a while because COVID restrictions mean GM is holding off on an official ceremony until later this spring.
