Škoda Auto has inaugurated new facilities for the Emissions Centre and a brand-new Simulation Centre in Mladá Boleslav, Czech Republic.

Following investments of almost €22 million, the laboratory will bolster the car manufacturer’s inhouse development capabilities within the Technical Development department.

The technologies allow for the precise and accurate simulation of a wide

range of climatic conditions, enabling comprehensive tests that mimic real-world

operations.

The new Simulation Centre houses a laboratory unique in the Czech Republic and the Volkswagen Group and is reportedly among the most modern facilities of its kind in Europe.

Johannes Neft, Škoda Auto Board Member for Technical Development, said: “Opening the new Simulation Centre represents a significant step forward in automotive development and reaffirms Škoda Auto’s leading position in the evolution and testing of drive and thermal management systems.”

The new Simulation Centre allows vehicle functionality to be tested under extreme load and virtual calculations to be validated across diverse driving conditions, providing a high degree of test variability in various climatic environments. The facility can sustain temperatures from -7 to +50°C while testing.

The tests at the Simulation Centre, which began construction in 2021 with

investments of almost €22 million, are conducted per the current and future legislative standards of the European Union, China, India, Brazil, and other regions.

The firm says the opening of the facility marks another significant step for Škoda in assuming responsibility for the development of Volkswagen’s MQB27 platform, as well as overseeing the overall development of the EA211 series of petrol engines and associated systems such as air intake, exhaust, cooling, and thermal management.