New South Wales’ premier vehicle safety facility will be quadrupling in size, with $30 million being invested by the State Government as part of plans for significant expansion.
Paving the way for new highway speed and heavy vehicle testing, the investment follows the purchase of 100 hectares of farmland adjacent to the existing Future Mobility Testing and Research Centre (FMTRC) site in Cudal.
Planned works will include the expansion and construction of a 4.4-kilometre loop track as well as a new heavy vehicle skid pad which will support the team in increasing safety testing and research.
This work involves enacting real-world scenarios at the centre to test vehicle safety features that help prevent crashes.
“The need for a new heavy vehicle testing space in the southern hemisphere was a key finding from extensive engagement with vehicle manufacturers, developers and researchers to map the future for the Cudal site,” said NSW Minister for Roads, John Graham.
“As light vehicles continue to become more advanced, there is also a need to uplift testing capabilities to keep up with new, increasingly automated, technology.”
The new Cudal track will let the team test new driver assist systems in real-world scenarios, including heavy laden B-doubles travelling at highway speeds, and situations involving head-on approaches and merging safety with cars, trucks and motorcycles.
According to the NSW Government, the FMTRC site is the only Government-owned and operated testing centre of its kind in the world.
Since being established in 2019, the facility has delivered more than 85 test and research programs.
Transport for NSW will now begin planning and community consultation for the design of the new loop track, with construction set to commence in 2025.
“This expansion is an investment in regional NSW, and this cutting-edge facility attracts clients from across the globe, making NSW a leader in testing road safety aspects of autonomous vehicles that will save lives,” said NSW Minister for Regional Transport and Roads, Jenny Aitchison.
“Vehicle safety is a critical part of making our roads safer and independent modelling has shown that vehicle safety improvements have saved more than 700 lives over the past decade.”
