Toyota Motor North America has completed construction and improvements at its Arizona Proving Ground. Joined by local government officials during a recent event, Toyota leaders revealed the enhancements for vehicle and automotive technology testing and development.
“We are proud to strengthen the offerings at our world-class facility in Arizona, not only for Toyota, but for any company that has use for these amenities,” said Monte Kaehr, group vice president of vehicle development engineering at Toyota Motor North America’s Research and Development.
Updates Include 5.5-Mile Oval
The updates are part of a previously announced investment featuring an all-new 5.5-mile oval track that was constructed inside the existing 10-mile oval and uses part of its south straightaway.
The new oval is available for vehicle mileage accumulation, stop-and-go testing, and various dynamics and higher speed evaluations.
The north straightaway of the original oval has been rebuilt into a new dog bone straight course for various vehicle and advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) evaluations, while also incorporating a world-class 1.75-mile coast down surface to evaluate vehicle efficiency and fuel economy.
New Off-Road Test Area
Significant new off-road test facilities offer greater development area for body-on-frame and off-road capable vehicles, while an all-new noise pass-by area allows for testing and evaluation of vehicle sound emissions to help meet global regulations.
Additional Updates
Other refreshes include an improved 1.5-mile ride and handling track used for engineering vehicle performance, tire evaluation, and wet testing, and an upcoming repaving of the vehicle dynamics pad.
“TAPG is an important asset for our North American R&D team, and we are planning continued investment here as vehicle development needs change and evolve for new technology. Opening our facility to the industry has allowed us to offset the cost of improvements and make an ever-better facility both for ourselves and for the automotive and mobility industry overall,” said Stefan Young, vice president at Toyota Motor North America’s Research and Development. “These improvements are also important to attract other companies to the region.”
“Arizona is driving innovation that delivers economic opportunity and growth to families and businesses across our state,” said Governor Katie Hobbs. “The revitalization of Toyota’s Arizona Proving Ground is further proof that Arizona is leading the way in auto technology testing and development.”
Overview of Toyota’s Proving Grounds
AMTC at TAPG is located in the Sonoran Desert near Wittmann, Arizona, a town about 60 miles northwest of Phoenix.
The facility covers approximately 11,650 acres and has 77 miles of testing surfaces with 60 miles of paved roads, more than 50 miles of off-road and dirt tracks, and a 5.5-mile oval track. Toyota established the Arizona Proving Ground in 1993, and it has been home to testing more than 50 Lexus and Toyota vehicles for the North American market since that time.
Since 2021, Toyota Arizona Proving Ground has been available for rental and long-term residencies to third parties seeking closed-course vehicle testing resources. Intertek Transportation Technologies manages and operates the facility under the moniker Arizona Mobility Test Center.
