Subaru Opens New Test Track in Japan; Here’s How it Will Benefit Consumers

The proving ground is not new, but Subaru Corporation is upgrading the test tracks at its Bifuka Research and Experimentation Center in Hokkaido, Japan. Here’s how it will benefit consumers soon. Subaru will use the new tracks to develop advanced driver assist technologies that will make their way to the new 2018 Outback, Forester and Crosstrek all-wheel-drive vehicles.

The Bifuka Proving Ground was built in 1995 for the purpose of conducting winter driving tests on snow. The 892 acre site now includes high-speed and handling courses in addition to test tracks for winter driving, and various tests are conducted there throughout the year.

What does it mean for Consumers?

Subaru is all about building safe automobiles and the Japanese automaker is developing technology to further enhance its EyeSight driver assist system. Subaru has goal of becoming the No. 1 brand for overall safety in the industry and they are spending the money to prove it. Subaru will invest approximately 3 billion yen ($27 million USD) in the facility, which is scheduled to begin operation in the second half of 2017.

That’s good news for consumers because it means vehicles like the Outback wagon, Forester SUV, and Crosstrek crossover will get safer. Subaru Corp is accelerating their efforts to improve the safety of all their vehicles by setting up new test tracks at the Bifuka Proving Ground. Subaru says they are working on more advanced driver assist technologies for conditions including expressway curves, merging and diverging on expressways, and urban intersections.

Some of the new test track’s roads even simulate North American freeway surfaces so that the engineers can test the EyeSight driver assist system in conditions where they sell 60 percent of their total global vehicles, in the U.S. market.

It’s good news for consumers around the globe who will see vehicles like the new 2018 Subaru Outback wagon, Forester SUV, Crosstrek crossover and new Ascent 3-Row SUV get more advanced driver assist technologies in the near future.

Photo credit: Subaru