Engineers at new Test Center California begin work

On Monday, I attended the grand opening of the Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. Test Center California (TCC) in Oxnard, CA. This 64,000-square-foot facility is one of the primary product development and emissions test laboratories globally and is the only center of its kind for Volkswagen Group in North America, replacing the current test facilities located in Westlake Village, CA. After a brief ribbon cutting ceremony, I went on a tour of the grounds to experience the unique workshops firsthand.

With a select group of media, I first learned about how the TCC team is pursuing a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Silver certification for the building itself–following in the footsteps of the LEED Platinum® certified plant in Chattanooga, TN where the Passat is built. Volkswagen’s goal is for the TCC to be one of the most environmentally conscious automobile test laboratories in the world. This approach is reflected in a variety of the building’s design elements, notably solar panels on the roof and over the carports, which can generate one-third of the building’s power supply, and the use of efficient plumbing technologies to help reduce overall water usage by 35 percent.


The largest open testing area was the product development laboratory where engineers have access to dynamometers, laser-based alignment machines, wheel balancers, and more. One of the coolest features here is a system built into the ceiling that collects exhaust emissions from running vehicles with several tubes that can be moved to virtually anywhere in the room, compared to preceding systems that restricted this technology to being located only in lift bays.

Even more “cool,” engineers can test vehicles in temperatures from minus 30 up to 43 degrees Celsius in the emissions laboratory to help make sure the vehicles run appropriately. This technology saves engineers from having to send vehicles to places like Alaska for testing.

The TCC will play a crucial role in ensuring that innovative engine technologies are integrated into the product development process, acting as the final stop before vehicles are approved for production. Beyond prototype vehicles, engineers will also test new production models for durability. These models are placed into fleets which are commonly first put into regular consumers’ hands to drive as their day-to-day vehicles, under an agreement with the center. Once these drivers have put enough miles on the vehicles, engineers will thoroughly test the entire vehicle for durability and even purposely install incorrect components to make sure all sensors are working correctly.


The last stop on my tour was the parts analysis laboratory. To put it simply, any parts that could turn on the “check engine” light are tested in this room. Aside from new prototype parts, the engineers stress test components that are commonly replaced at dealerships to help ensure the dealer makes appropriate replacement decisions and predict common wear items.

After a full day at the facility, I sat down with one of the engineers to get answers to some of the great questions I received on Facebook last week. I’ve included the answers below. For additional information on Test Center California, follow this link to the official press release distributed earlier this week.