Nissan Motor Co. said Monday it has built an 8.1-km high-speed test track in Rikubetsu, Hokkaido, at a cost of 3.2 billion yen.
The track, Nissan's longest in Japan, mimics conditions on suburban streets and European racetracks, and is designed to test how vehicles perform in both ordinary road driving conditions and at speeds of more than 300 kph, the automaker said.
The track will also be used to study driver behavior, driver support systems and intelligent transportation systems, which use information technology to alleviate traffic congestion and enhance safety.
Located on a 7.05 million-sq.-meter-site, the new facility is also ideal for cold-weather tests, Nissan said.