The Chennai test track is a 200 acre (0.31 square mile) state-of-the-art testing facility located in southeast India. The track is used to test vehicles and braking sub-systems. It was designed to the highest international standards in partnership with MIRA, a UK-based internationally recognized independent provider of product engineer, research, testing information and certification to the automotive industry.
Straight-line Braking
The straight-line track has an overall length of 1.35 km (0.84 miles) and a maximum length of 225 m (738 feet) and width of 70 m (230 feet) at the braking area. The approach road is 1000 m (3280 feet) long, of which 800 m (2626 feet) is used for acceleration and 200 m (656 feet) for the final stabilization. Braking surfaces include high friction asphalt, blue basalt tiles and ceramic tiles and are each 225 m (738 feet) long. A high-friction asphalt track on either side of the basalt and ceramic track facilitates split friction braking tests.
Crash barriers are installed on either side of the track as a safety precaution. In addition, a 200 m (656 feet) run-out track plus an arrestor pit containing light aggregate rock at the end of the braking surfaces provides additional safety in the event of brake failure. The track features a return loop so several vehicles can be tested sequentially without crossing the test track.
Blue Basalt Surface
Basalt track is the industry standard for low friction testing surfaces. Blue basalt is a rock that is melted and cast into 50 mm (2.2 inches) thick tiles. These tiles are extremely abrasive and temperature resistant, and provide consistent low friction over long distances. The blue basalt track is 225 m (738 feet) and 7 m (23 feet) wide. The 8 mm (0.3 inches) thick grooves act as effective drainage channels and but also keep the surface wet during wet-track testing.
Low Friction Ceramic Surface
These ceramic tiled surfaces are becoming an industry standard for commercial vehicle test tracks. A 125 m (410 feet) length of pure ceramic surface is followed by a combination of asphalt and ceramic "checkers" to provide variable high and low friction surfaces. The track is 4 m (13 feet) wide but narrows to 2 m (6 feet) in the checkered asphalt/ceramic area. The surface has a lateral gradient of 1% to aid water drainages – this has little effect on sideways vehicle movement but prevents aquaplaning.
High Friction Asphalt Surface
The track surface is 4 m (13 feet) wide between basalt and ceramic and 2 m (6 feet) on the outer sides of basalt and ceramic.
Support Facilities
The Chennai test track also features an on-site workshop, conference room, online connections, viewing gallery with a public address system for customer demonstrations and two-way radio contact with test vehicles.
