Audi has just opened the doors to a €100 million ($106 million) crash test facility at its headquarters in Ingolstadt, Germany. Construction of the site took three years and it will replace the hall within Audi’s factory where crash tests were previously performed.
Found at the heart of the Audi Vehicle Safety Center is a massive crash block weighing 100 tons. This block can be moved and rotated and accompanies a ‘flying floor’ where vehicles can be driven sideways into obstacles, like the crash block. The site also includes a dummy lab, test stands, workshops, and offices.
Approximately 100 people will work at the facility and cover all known test scenarios. In addition to the crash block and ‘flying floor,’ there are opposing run-up tracks with a total length of 250 meters (820 feet), allowing vehicles to reach the speeds required by current safety tests. There is also a dedicated lane that allows Audi to test right-angle car-to-car crashes with two vehicles.
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Audi uses more than 60 crash test dummies at the site, ranging from an 18-month-old toddler to adults weighing up to 102 kg (225 lbs). High-speed cameras and motion trackers are also used throughout and various other sensors and 3D scans allow Audi to simulate practically all accidents. Each month, specialists from the car manufacturer perform tens of thousands of crash simulations before physical prototypes are built.
“Safety is a top priority at Audi. Our new vehicle safety center is impressive proof of this commitment,” Audi Board of Management for Technical Development member Oliver Hoffman said. “Today’s Audi models achieve outstanding results in globally valid test procedures. But we’re not resting on our laurels. Instead, we’re continuing to improve our development and testing capabilities.”
