Toyota’s Aerodynamics Laboratory, where operations began this month, is equipped with a large fan and a moving belt system that can simulate vehicle operation and environments with wind speeds of up to 250 km/h, making precise evaluation of aerodynamic characteristics possible under a range of driving conditions, from city to highway driving. The walls and floor of the wind tunnel have optimally placed sound-absorbing material to create a low-noise environment, enabling assessment of wind noise and other sounds. Reducing air resistance is extremely effective for improving fuel efficiency during high-speed driving. When driving at 100 km/h, approximately 70 percent of resistance on the vehicle is air resistance.
The placement of the Aerodynamics Laboratory in the Honsha Technical Center will facilitate close collaboration among design, development, and testing divisions, leading to more attractive and quieter designs as well as enhanced maneuverability and driving stability. This is the first renovation since TMC introduced its first such facility in 1969 and represents a major augmentation of TMC’s aerodynamic technology development system and processes.

