GM opens test field in Ontario

US vehicle manufacturer General Motors has opened a test field in Ontario.

General Motors is one of the leaders in autonomous driving, thanks in large part to the startup Cruise Automation, which is helping to develop autonomous driving for the company. The company has also been able to achieve this lead through testing, which it conducts both on the road, in simulators and in enclosed test fields, such as those created by the Tilke company.

General Motors has now created such a test field in Ontario. The climate there is one aspect of the test site; after all, the vehicles have to function in colder regions than just California, where Cruise Automation primarily tests for GM.

Another aspect is the proximity to the company’s own plant in Oshawa, where GM pickup models are built, for example. The test site will not only be used to test autonomous driving, it will also be used to test e-mobility. In this way, a test field for modern mobility is being created.

The name of the test field, CTC McLaughlin Advanced Technology Track, is abbreviated to CTC MATT. The oval track shape on four lanes allows tests at speeds of up to 100 kilometers per hour. But the main focus will be on software and hardware for embedded vehicle and advanced assistance systems.

Testing the technology is of considerable importance for the rollout. The basic tests will then be carried out in simulators and at test sites. Only then are the vehicles sent out on the road to gain experience.