The Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism made an unexpected statement on Thursday. Agreement to create ‘Spanish Laboratory Network for Autonomous and Connected Vehicle’. The signature photo featured both Minister Reyes Maroto and Galicia Automotive Technology Center (CTAG) director Luis Moreno. What was known at the time was the creation of test and research centers that would validate new products and R&D activities, and the capacity to test and pre-approve them.
But the title hid a major novelty: Vigo’s long-awaited high-speed track will fully enter the venture. “The ultimate goal of this project is to Design, build and commission this lab network or test circuits and validation tests”, explains Moreno, “and of course this includes the circuit we propose; I couldn’t stay outside.”
The technology center has a small runway at its headquarters in O Porriño, which is used by its engineers to perform necessary verifications on vehicle developments. However, it has spent years outlining a high-speed track with six tracks and key facilities to remain a reference in the industry and make a splash in the service they offer.
To achieve this, CTAG took advantage of the opportunities offered by the Next Generation funds. However, the project, originally designed for the industrial area of Plisan (Salvaterra-As Neves) and later moved to A Cañiza, faced the same problem as the Balaídos factory: support stiffness Perte VEC (Electric and Connected Vehicle), launched by the Automotive Industry, made it impossible for the Vigo circuit to benefit from these aids.
Now, as Moreno explains, the situation is different. The protocol signed on Thursday states that this “Spanish Network of Autonomous and Connected Vehicle Laboratories” will have EU funds “outside Perte” but will form part of the Next Generation funds. “The project will European funds, State own funds and private part” denotes the CTAG director. And while he acknowledges that “the budget has not been closed yet”, he estimates the amount will be high and “between 300 and 400 million euros” in his “preliminary estimates”.
Coordination
The Industry announcement positions CTAG as the “coordinator of a major country project”, where the Galician center will act as an “interlocutor” between public administrations and the Industry-led inter-ministerial commission to the private sector. industry representative associations such as technology and research centres, manufacturers’ associations (Anfac) and suppliers (Sernauto), and companies themselves, including major manufacturers. In fact, one of those inside is Catalan Cellnex, with which Zona Franca, Concello and CTAG have allied on a tractor project that includes the circuit.
the idea is that most established regions automotive industry be the main beneficiaries. “To encourage the complementarity of all these facilities, each will have laboratories and pathways for specific uses under the coordination of CTAG. And of course, all of these will include the circuit we recommend. We will see the governance model later,” says Moreno.
The horizon Moreno and his team are leading is for the initiative to become a reality by 2027 “or at least at an advanced stage.” On the Vigo circuit and despite plans for Plisan or A Cañiza, “because”still to be defined”. At that time, a figure ranging from 30 to 50 million euros was considered.