NATRAX- the High-Speed Track (HST) launched in India

Context

The Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises inaugurated NATRAX- the High-Speed Track(HST) in Indore which is the longest such track in Asia.

About the NATRAX- the High-Speed Track (HST)

• It is an 11.3 km High-Speed Track and developed in an area of 1000 acres of land.
• It is a one-stop solution for all sorts of high-speed performance tests for the widest categories of vehicles from 2 wheelers to heavy tractor-trailers, being the largest in the world.
• It is Asia’s longest and world’s fifth-longest High-Speed Track for automobiles.
• The NATRAX centre has multiple test capabilities like measurements of maximum speed, acceleration, constant speed fuel consumption, emission tests through real road driving simulation, high-speed handling and stability evaluation during manoeuvred such as lane change, high-speed durability testing, etc. and is a Centre of excellence for Vehicle Dynamics.
• HST is used for measuring the maximum speed capability of high-end cars like BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Tesla, and so forth which cannot be measured on any of the Indian test tracks.
• The vehicle can achieve a max speed of 375 Kmph on curves with steering control and it has less banking on ovals making it also one of the safest test tracks globally.

Significance

• Foreign OEMs will be looking at NATRAX HST for the development of prototype cars for Indian conditions.
• At present, foreign OEMs go to their respective high-speed track abroad for high-speed test requirements.
• It will help in expanding automobiles and manufacturing industries to generate employment.