AUREL Proving ground

AUREL Proving Ground stands as a premier hub for the testing and validation of cutting-edge automotive technologies, vehicle systems, and their components.

Story

"As a company, we have always sensed the potential of new technologies in the field of autonomous vehicles and electromobility. With the advent of a new era of motoring, there is an inevitable wave of development and testing. That is what our polygon is here for. We offer test areas and facilities where vehicles will learn to recognize situations in traffic and react appropriately to them. Simultaneously, we conduct a comprehensive range of functional, stress, durability, and other essential

Ing. Zdeněk Svoboda, Head of the Development and Innovation Centre

I'm interested

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Polygon history

The area that is now the AUREL Proving Ground has a rich and storied history dating back to the 1950s, when it was a research center for the Czechoslovak Army. Until the 1990s, it served as a critical facility for the development and testing of military tanks and wheeled vehicles.

Names change, purpose remains
The site has evolved during its service, which has been reflected in changes to its name. Gradually, the importance of this military complex grew. It began as the "Tank Research and Test Station", eventually became the "Tank Research and Research Polygon" and from the 1960s was known as "Research and Test Centre 020" (VZS 020). This key facility reported directly to the Ministry of National Defence. VZS 020 was no ordinary base; it functioned as a complex scientific institute with a number of specialised departments.

This is where power was born
Top military engineers, experienced mechanics, technicians and other experts worked here. They conducted driving tests of tanks and vehicles on various types of terrain, including extreme conditions. Range, fuel consumption, stability and armour resistance were tested. Ballistic tests were also conducted. Armament effectiveness and resistance to gunfire or explosions were examined. But the site was not just a test track. There was also intensive development. Army experts worked on improving key components such as propulsion units, suspension systems or advanced fire control systems. It was here that prototypes of new equipment and machines produced under licence were tested for the first time.

Closely guarded secrets
Due to the sensitivity and strategic importance of the research and testing carried out, the entire site operated in a top secret mode. The area was under constant guard and only selected, authorised military personnel were allowed access. To ensure comprehensive operations, the polygon had extensive facilities: huge garages for storing equipment, modern workshops, specialised laboratories for detailed analysis and, of course, test areas and runways. The complex was extremely self-sufficient. It had its own power supply, an internal electrical network and even a railway siding for the discreet transport of the equipment under test.