Kawasaki – Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation (MFTBC), one of Asia’s leading truck manufacturers, is marking the 30-year anniversary of its Kitsuregawa Proving Ground. Located in Sakura City, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan, the 1.17 million-square-meter facility is a principal site for Mitsubishi Fuso development and testing of new vehicles, future technologies, and components such as engines and transmissions.

“The Kitsuregawa Proving Ground has played a vital role in Mitsubishi Fuso Research & Development over the past three decades, and continues as a state-of-the-art facility for commercial vehicle testing,” said Prof. Dr. Eike Boehm, MFTBC Vice President of Product Engineering. “The mission of Kitsuregawa and its employees is to help ensure that each and every Mitsubishi Fuso product is tested and ready to deliver the highest possible safety, quality, efficiency and environmental performance. The facility is in almost constant operation to fulfill this mission.”

Opened on June 5, 1980, the Kitsuregawa Proving Ground includes numerous testing facilities and features one of the largest test courses for trucks and buses in the world. The high–speed circuit, with a length of 3.6 kilometers and a maximum width of 28 meters, offers all opportunities for state-of-the art truck and bus testing and even passenger cars could be evaluated up to a speed of 220 kilometers/hour.

As functions of trucks and buses have developed over the years, a large number of testing facilities has been added, including the ABS (Antilock Brake System) Test Track, EMC (Electro Magnetic Compatibility) Testing Laboratory, Engine Laboratory, and Powertrain Laboratory.

At present, the aggregate building floor area is 38,800 square meters, and the total length of test courses is 14.4 kilometers, with about 500 employees working at the site. These testing facilities engage in functional, performance, and durability testing for all MFTBC’s trucks and buses, and also advanced component research.