Scania has opened a new SEK 975 million research and development proving ground in Sweden, expanding its ability to test heavy vehicle safety systems, electric drivetrains and autonomous transport technology.
The 85-hectare facility in Södertälje adds 13 kilometres of paved roads and four kilometres of gravel roads to the TRATON GROUP’s development capabilities. It will support testing of conventional vehicle technologies alongside emerging transport systems.
For fleet operators, the investment addresses a practical requirement: ensuring new technology can deliver reliable performance under demanding operating conditions before it reaches customers.
“The transformation of transport requires us to continuously strengthen the way we develop and validate new technologies,” said Christian Levin, President and CEO of TRATON GROUP and Scania.
“This investment is about building the capabilities we need for the future while ensuring that the solutions we bring to our customers have the safety, quality and performance they expect.”
Braking and safety under scrutiny
Heavy vehicle braking performance is a key focus of the new facility, which includes three irrigated braking tracks with asphalt, concrete and basalt tile surfaces.
The different surfaces allow engineers to test braking when grip levels vary between the two sides of a vehicle. A curved basalt section also enables braking tests while cornering.
These controlled scenarios help engineers assess vehicle behaviour in challenging conditions relevant to heavy vehicle operations, where traction and stability are critical to safety.
The proving ground also provides a flexible environment for testing advanced driver assistance systems, including automatic emergency braking, lane support and blind-spot warning.
Dedicated areas can be configured to create different traffic situations, allowing engineers to assess how systems respond as scenarios become more complex.
More testing brought in-house
The facility enables Scania to undertake tests that previously required external facilities, with large purpose-built surfaces supporting vehicle dynamics testing.
For autonomous transport development, engineers can construct realistic traffic scenarios and progressively increase their complexity.
“New technology only creates value when it performs in the real world,” said Sara Forsberg, CTO and Head of Brand Identity Development at Scania.
“The R&D proving ground gives our engineers greater possibilities to test, learn and validate solutions under demanding conditions. It strengthens our ability to turn innovation into solutions that deliver real value for our customers.”
Repeatable testing is another priority. Road surfaces have been specified to maintain the evenness needed for comparable results over time, while banked curves allow continuous highway-style running around the oval track.
Supporting the next generation of heavy vehicles
The proving ground forms part of TRATON GROUP’s wider research and development network, strengthening its capacity to validate technologies across electrification, autonomous systems, safety and conventional vehicle engineering.
For heavy vehicle fleets, the significance extends beyond any individual drivetrain or safety feature. As trucks incorporate more complex electronic and automated systems, testing how those systems perform together becomes increasingly important.
The new facility gives engineers greater scope to assess that performance under controlled, demanding and repeatable conditions, supporting the development of vehicles suited to the work operators need them to do.
