The section of the facility that opened today features a 5.3-km country road test course.
Based on long experience of the Nürburgring Nordschleife, which is famous throughout the world for its grueling driving conditions, Toyota has designed an exacting test course that takes advantage of local topography and features a roughly 75-meter change in elevation between its highest and lowest points, as well as a wide range of curves and corners.
Around 50 people will start working at the facility today, most of whom are test drivers.
Located in an open environment surrounded by greenery, the completed facility in 2023 will also include an eastern section featuring a high-speed test course and specialized courses that reproduce particular road surfaces from around the world, and a western section that includes vehicle development facilities.
Toyota plans to invest a total of around 300 billion yen in the new facility up to its full-scale opening in fiscal year 2023. After completion, some 3,300 people should be employed at the site.
Toyota President Akio Toyoda said, "Around 70 percent of the total site area (approx. 650 hectares) consists of the original trees and greenery that were preserved, in addition to newly developed green spaces. Full consideration is being given to maintaining and managing the natural environment. Toyota intends to continue cooperating with experts, local governments, and communities in the vicinity of the facility to conduct environmental conservation initiatives in the forests and valley bottom rice fields of this valuable satoyama (a Japanese term referring to hills and forests located near communities that are deeply linked to human life) ecosystem."
