KYB recently opened its new KYB Development and Testing Center in Kashio, Japan. 
The new facility features dedicated test tracks for the development and testing of automobile and motorcycle suspension and steering components. It features what is claimed to be the largest continuous-paved surface area in the world.
The new $35 million facility has several test tracks, including: a “mountain path” with a 0.6-mile circular road with many elevations and depressions, a circular test track with a maximum radius of 345 feet, a straight track with many types of surfaces, plus other tracks with a variety of surfaces to evaluate noises and other performance aspects. The overall center encompasses 6.4 million square feet and also incorporates a vehicle preparation building.
KYB said the primary purpose of the center and test tracks is to facilitate ride control component testing and evaluation over a broad range of road surfaces.
“The new facility will allow KYB to perform more driving tests using actual vehicles and develop advanced technologies that are well ahead of competitors,” KYB stated. “The wide range of advanced technologies and equipment at the center will make testing faster and more sophisticated, increase development efficiency, and help to significantly shorten the lead time needed to develop projects.”
“Our company has always been dedicated to staying on the cutting edge in the development of advanced technology suspension and steering products for its global customer base,” said Mike Fiorito, vice president of KYB America. “This new center will not only enable us to maintain our leadership role in offering high technology products to the OE and replacement markets but shorten product development lead times as well.”
