ASTA, Active Safety Test Area

TSS is together with SP, Technical Research Institute of Sweden, developing a novel proving ground for active safety systems named ASTA. We are creating a globally unique environment for integrated traffic safety research in Europe, where authorities, academia and industry can together make significant advances in order to lead the way for a further 20 years. ASTA is an important component in the zero vision quest, and will stimulate growth in Europe.

Active safety requires new types of testing

Making transportation more energy efficient while maintaining traffic safety standards places new demands on future traffic systems. The Active Safety Test Area (ASTA) provides for the development of light, small cars with maintained safety standards. Active safety requires new types of testing. Conventional collision tests cannot be applied; systematic situation based "anti-collision" tests in which a vehicle or infrastructure is studied for methods to prevent accidents are required instead. ASTA will contribute to the efforts to achieve the ‘zero vision’ that nobody shall die or be seriously injured on our roads.

The availability of testing facilities close by provides a competitive advantage for European automotive and supplier industries since the development work lead time, in which development work and testing are often sandwiched, can be shortened. Furthermore, unique competence will be gained at the testing installation itself, which will be beneficial to the European automotive industry at large.

ASTA are built in four parts:

• Town environment with vehicle and pedestrian dummies
• Multiple lane roads with vehicle dummies in two traffic lanes
• Active safety area, 175 m diameter with acceleration stretches
• Country road loop for monotonous driving with suddenly appearing obstacles, icy bends, tunnels, rain-fog-smoke, escape areas, crossing scenarios etc.

The sections of the installation can be relocated, to vary the sequence of events. It should be easy to create temporary traffic environments.