Geely Auto Group has opened a new safety testing complex in Ningbo, on China’s eastern coast, saying it is the world’s largest automotive safety centre and a key tool as regulators and buyers put more pressure on quality.
The Geely Safety Centre sits in the Hangzhou Bay area of Zhejiang province and cost more than 2 billion yuan (about RM1.2bil), according to the company.
It covers 45,000m² and is designed to run 27 types of tests, from high-speed crash work and pedestrian protection through to battery safety and checks on assisted-driving reliability.
A notable twist: Volvo contributed safety know-how to the centre’s design, reflecting Geely’s ownership of the Swedish brand and its long-running reputation for crash research.
Geely also said the facility broadens its safety scope into digital and health-related areas, including vehicle-network security testing and a dedicated odour and volatile-materials team it calls its “Golden Nose” group.
Geely said the site sets five Guinness World Records, including the largest automotive safety laboratory by area (81,930.745m²), a 293.39m indoor crash-test track, an altitude-and-climate wind tunnel zone (28,536.224m²) with simulation for conditions such as snow and rain, and an arbitrary-angle crash zone that can run tests from 0 to 180 degrees (12,709.293m²).
The opening comes as China’s car industry fights a prolonged price war, with worries that faster development cycles and cost cutting can raise quality risks.
“With some high-profile incidents and stricter national regulations (in China), I believe consumers are becoming more aware of safety, which influences their purchasing decisions and guides the industry’s development,” Geely Auto vice president Li Chuanhai told Reuters.
Geely Auto Group CEO Jerry Gan said: “Safety has always been Geely Auto Group’s top priority over the past 30 years. We’ve always aimed to exceed national and regional standards to set new benchmarks in safety, is a benefit to everyone in the industry and consumers globally. With the new Geely Safety Centre, we open a new chapter for safety in the age of intelligent vehicles.
“The global electric and intelligent transformation of the automotive industry requires new and higher standards of safety in both physical and digital spheres. The new Geely Safety Centre supports and accelerates the innovation of safety together with the collaborative efforts of safety technology leaders in the world.”
