Nighttime crews braving subzero temperatures as they tackle intensive training sessions
In the heart of Hokkaido, Japan, lies the Shibetsu Proving Ground, a crucial testing facility for Toyota and other automotive manufacturers. This state-of-the-art facility is home to a tire testing track, specifically designed to assess all-season tires for the North American market.
The Shibetsu Proving Ground is no ordinary test track. NIPPO CORPORATION, a company renowned for its road construction and asphalt surfacing technology, plays a significant role in building and maintaining the courses here. One section of the area replicates snow-covered city streets and features rutted roads created by a grader, a key feature for testing tire performance under challenging conditions.
The maintenance of these courses is a race against time, especially in the snowy town of Shibetsu. A night crew led by Kawamura works tirelessly from 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., preparing the courses for the next day. Dozens of heavy vehicles are used for these operations, and a team of four adjusts the width and depth of the ruts in line with the course manager's requests.
The key to preparing the roads is ensuring the same conditions, day in and day out. The compacted snow is prepared to a depth of 12 centimeters for testing, and incline sections are maintained to ensure a constant friction factor of the road. Special attachments, custom-made by NIPPO's team, are used on graders to create these rutted roads.
Besides preparing courses for vehicle testing, late-night operations at the Shibetsu Proving Ground also involve various vital backstage roles that support continuous improvement in car development. However, the specific additional tasks beyond preparing courses are not detailed in the provided information.
The Shibetsu Proving Ground operates in temperatures as low as -30°C (-22°F), making proper cold-climate testing more than just having low temperatures and lots of snow. Shibetsu branch manager Sato, who has been working with the Shibetsu Proving Ground since 1987, is involved in course construction, winter course setup, snow removal, and maintenance.
Interestingly, there is a maintenance task at the Shibetsu Proving Ground that does not involve driving cars. This task, and other crucial roles, are essential in maintaining the high standards and quality in vehicle testing and preparation processes.
Lastly, it's worth noting that Sawada and most of the other course maintenance personnel are certified test drivers. NIPPO's team relies on skilled operators and attachments based on decades of experience to prepare the rutted roads as requested each day. This dedication to precision and quality ensures that the vehicles tested at the Shibetsu Proving Ground are ready for the roads of North America.
The Shibetsu Proving Ground, situated in Hokkaido, Japan, not only collaborates with automotive manufacturers like Toyota, but also engages in partnerships with companies in the technology industry, such as NIPPO CORPORATION, renowned for its road construction and asphalt surfacing technology. The finance sector is also closely tied to the management of the proving ground, as the maintenance operations require significant investment in resources like heavy vehicles and the time of skilled personnel. Furthermore, the transportation sector is crucial for transporting testing equipment and vehicles to and from the proving ground, ensuring a continuous flow of data for research and development in the automotive industry.
