India’s NATRAX: Things to Know About Asia’s Fastest Automotive Test Track

India recently unveiled Asia’s longest high-speed track for vehicle testing which is also the fifth-longest in the world

Recently, India unveiled the longest high-speed track for vehicle testing not merely in the country but also in Asia. Known as the NATRAX- High-Speed Track (HST), the Asian country has built the facility for vehicle testing ranging from motorcycles to heavy vehicles such as trucks and buses. The track is the fifth-longest high-speed track in the world which was unveiled by Prakash Javadekar, who is the Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises. Situated in Pithampur, Indore, the testing facility is spread across 2,900 acres with a track of 11.3 kilometres.

Addressing the nation on Twitter, Prakash Javadekar wrote: Many projects in the railways, highways etc. which were languishing for years are today getting completed because of the strong political will. NATRAX- the high-speed track completed and inaugurated today is another example that shows how Modi govt. works.

Not to forget, renowned automobile news media outlet carandbike tweeted: Asia’s longest high-speed test track was recently inaugurated in Pithampur, Madhya Pradesh. It’s designed as a one-stop solution for all sorts of high-speed performance tests for vehicles.

Moving on to the facility, the NATRAX testing facility is equipped with an oval-shaped high-speed track that is 16 metres wide along with four separate lanes. While testing, a vehicle can easily reach up to a top speed of 375 kilometres per hour. Therefore, as per official sources, the track is ideal for vehicle manufacturers such as Volkswagen, FCA, Renault, Peugeot, Lamborghini, BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Ferrari and Tesla to cite a few. After all, these brands are known for making luxury cars that are equipped with massive fast engines. 

As per the ministry, the track has been unveiled in the country because the above-mentioned brands often visit other countries for testing their vehicles. To boost the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, this track has been designed not merely for vehicle testing but also as a platform where manufacturers can show their products and make changes in their vehicles as per the Indian driving conditions and roads. 

The facility also comprises 14 types of tracks and some of them are braking track, wet pad track, high-speed handling track, and stability testing track to point a few. Last but not least, the NATRAX has been built at a rumoured amount of INR 500 crore under the watch of the National Automotive Testing R&D Infrastructure Project (NATRiP). 

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