The manufacturer has opened its new test site for fully automated development and test drives in Sokolov (Czech Republic), the Future Mobility Development Center (FMDC).
As the first development location of this kind in Central Europe, the FMDC, in which bmw has invested 300 million euros, will play a key role in the future mobility development of the company.
The surrounding terrain in the former mining region offers suitable real conditions for testing highly and fully automated driving situations and parking processes to supplement the virtual simulation of driving situations. With this combination of virtual simulation and tests in a real environment, BMW wants to meet the highest safety requirements of its customers. The FMDC in Sokolov complements the existing group of BMW Group proving grounds in Aschheim near Munich, Miramas in France and Arjeplog in Sweden.
A test field for autonomous driving was created on an area of 600 hectares level 4. The areas include urban areas, country roads and highways. Automated parking can also be tried out here. The concept consists of test modules that can be recombined one after the other.
The Future Mobility Development Center not only enables the testing and further development of technological innovations, but also serves as an example of how the highest environmental protection and sustainability standards have been consistently integrated into the concept and implementation. During the planning and establishment of the test site, BMW worked closely with specialized ecological construction supervisors.
In addition to using green electricity, the site is equipped with an innovative water management system that systematically collects rainwater and uses it to irrigate the routes. The protection and promotion of local biodiversity was also taken into account throughout the planning process: amphibian guidance systems were installed throughout the site to ensure safe crossing of animals across the test site. 2.2 million cubic yards of soil previously excavated by nearby mines were used to build the site. As a result, no additional land was sealed, but a fallow area was recycled for future-oriented technological development.