Testing

If you’ve ever wondered where Toyota tests their vehicles here in the States, it’s at the automaker’s proving grounds in the Sonoran desert outside of Phoenix, Arizona. The 12,000-acre facility, known as TAPG, offers a variety of terrain for testing and tuning the durability, dynamics, and capability of their vehicles.

Ford has announced that it has completed its winter testing for the F-150 Lightning. This type of testing is a powertrain evaluation specifically meant to ensure that the all-electric powertrain of the Lightning can effectively deliver power on low traction surfaces.

Bugatti is planning on building an extremely limited-edition run of its high-end Centodieci hypercars. Even though the company plans to build only 10 Centodieci cars, its testing regime remains the same. Recently the Italian automaker confirmed the vehicle had completed its high-temperature desert testing.

When it comes to trucks and other rugged vehicles, it’s important to test that they can handle the strain and stress of driving over steep hills and mountains, especially under load. But it’s not always practical for automakers to head out the mountains to conduct the volume of tests they must perform.

When Ford first introduced its F-150 Raptor truck, it was clear that this wasn’t just a truck aimed at rock crawling or mudding. Thanks to its power, the Raptor can offer impressive performance just about anywhere – even in the loose sand of the desert.

One of the best field trips I ever went on in grade school was to a local factory where they make Trane heating and cooling systems. The highlight of that tour was a small room in the testing wing where they could simulate any weather from a hurricane to a blizzard to be sure their air conditioning hardware was up to the job.