Witnessed by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Southeast Asia's first "Smart Electric Self-Driving Vehicle Field," capable of all-weather, all-speed, and all-vehicle verification, officially opened today. Located at the Vehicle Research and Testing Center, this advanced field simulates extreme conditions such as heavy rain, dense fog, and tunnel obstructions, and provides autonomous driving verification testing at speeds up to 110 kilometers per hour. It will become a key base for Taiwan's entry into the international smart vehicle market.
Breaking through weather restrictions: heavy rain, dense fog, and backlight are all possible
The biggest feature of this test site is its ability to simulate various extreme weather conditions, and can fully reproduce harsh lighting environments such as dense fog, dawn and dusk, and backlight, as follows:
• Weather Environment Tunnel Test Area:Hourly rainfall can reach over 100 mm, meeting the Central Weather Bureau's "heavy rain" standard.
• Self-driving car elevated road test area: simulates ramp merging, uphill and downhill slopes, and GPS obstruction scenarios
These facilities allow ADAS assisted driving and autonomous driving systems to test their perception, positioning, and decision-making control capabilities in a controllable environment, significantly improving system reliability.
Full-scenario verification: covering real road conditions from urban areas to elevated highways
The complete test scenarios for smart electric and self-driving car field planning are as follows:
• Weather tunnel and self-driving elevated road test area (completed)
• Suburban road test area (under construction, expected to be completed in 2026)
More complex traffic scenario verification will be provided in the future
Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs Ho Chin-cang stated that this facility marks a significant milestone for Taiwan's automotive industry as it enters a new era. Through a NT$10 billion investment in technology projects, combined with Taiwan's existing ICT industry chain and automotive electronics infrastructure, it will assist component manufacturers and small and medium-sized enterprises in upgrading and transforming, fostering differentiated competitiveness.
Strategic significance: Building a first-class research and testing base in Asia
Wang Zhengjian, Chairman of the Vehicle Center, noted that this facility will integrate existing world-class research and testing capabilities to provide the industry with a comprehensive service package from R&D, testing, to commercialization. This will not only shorten product launch times but also enhance the credibility of Taiwanese automotive electronics products in the international market.
With global tariff adjustments and low-price competition from mainland China, Taiwan's traditional automotive parts market faces challenges. The opening of this testing ground will help manufacturers leverage their strengths in intelligence and system integration, seizing opportunities in the global AI smart vehicle and automotive electronics industries.
This most forward-looking testing ground in Asia not only demonstrates Taiwan's determination to promote the smart vehicle industry, but will also attract cooperation from international automakers and system vendors, boosting Taiwan's strategic position in the global smart vehicle industry chain.
