Completion of $2.1 million expansion at TRC California Test Center for autonomous driving

With the recent completion of a $2.1 million expansion project at the TRC California automotive research and testing complex, the facility is already attracting increased interest from the advanced mobility industry. Construction of a 2.2-mile oval test track, a one-mile city course and two large vehicle dynamics areas, has transformed a portion of the former Castle Airforce Base into a world-class testing facility. 

TRC California offers vehicle manufacturers, suppliers, and innovators a range of specialized test facilities that replicate real-world highway, rural, and urban driving scenarios. These improvements allow for the safe testing and refinement of autonomous vehicle technologies and other advanced vehicle systems.

Construction of the 225-acre site began in May 2021 when Merced County officials entered into a long-term management agreement for the facility with Transportation Research Center Inc. (TRC Inc.), an Ohio-based automotive testing and innovation company.

“These improvements have already sparked increased interest from automotive innovators on the West Coast and beyond who are coming here to Merced County to perfect their advanced technologies,” says Daron McDaniel, Chairman of the Merced County Board of Supervisors. “The future of transportation is being developed in our backyards and it’s bringing an important boost in job growth and economic development for our entire region.” 

“This is just the beginning of our plans to partner with Merced County in transforming TRC California to become a comprehensive, one-stop shop for automotive technology and mobility innovators,” says Brett Roubinek, president and CEO of TRC Inc. “With its proximity to Silicon Valley, the San Francisco Bay area and all of the West Coast’s technology centers, TRC California is fast becoming the go-to site for transportation innovators to test and affirm their world-changing technologies.” 

With phase one expansion projects completed, TRC California’s facilities and specialist staffing will continue to expand as TRC Inc. completes the build-out of additional testing capabilities and services, especially those geared toward research on electrification and autonomous and connected vehicles.