Scania has decided to build a wind tunnel at its research and development center in Södertälje, Sweden, that will be used for testing such vehicle characteristics as comfort, road safety and environmental performance in different climates.
The facility, the only one of its kind in Europe, will be completed in 2013.
It is time-consuming and requires large resources to carry out testing of trucks and buses in different climates, among other things for planning and vehicle transport. A wind tunnel that can simulate realistic environments, ranging from dry Arctic cold to humid tropical heat as well as various wind conditions, will thus make Scania’s development work more efficient and flexible.
“In various stages of the development phase, there are many advantages in being able to test vehicles and individual components independently of seasons and without having to transport them to another climate. Investing in a wind tunnel will strengthen our competitiveness, since it will make shorter development times and higher product quality possible,” says Sven-Åke Edström, Senior Vice President Truck, Cab and Bus Chassis Development.
The wind tunnel will be housed in a 11,500-square-foot, multi-story building to be constructed at the Scania Technical Centre in Södertälje.