Crossing the river from Järntorget square in Göteborg takes just a few minutes. Arriving at Lindholm, you´re immersed in an environment that can best be described as a boiling melting pot focused on churning out intelligent vehicles and transport systems. There are 17,000 people working and studying there - and it shows. Crowded buses and ferries arrive throughout the day and a steady stream of people move about in all directions.

Text: Anita Bengtson Photos: Lindholmen Science Park

The SIM4 Vehicle simulator - a global innovation
Construction is nearing completion on the giant vehicle simulator with the little name - SIM4. The Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI) will be running the new facility currently being built in Lindholmen Science Park. It´s been a long process, involving the collaboration - both directly and via Test Site Sweden - of the entire Swedish automotive industry, who were united in their recognition of the need for this type of advanced facility. Their dream will soon become a reality. Lindholm´s one-of-a-kind vehicle simulator will begin trial operation this fall. The simulator has an advanced operating system that permits linear movements in the x and y directions. It will be able to shift between passenger cabins and truck cab and has a visualization system with a horizontal field of view surpassing 180 degrees.

Test Site Sweden meets the automotive industry´s need for test facilities
As the name suggests, Lindholmen-based organization Test Site Sweden develops environments for the testing and demonstration of new solutions for green transports. Their facilities are currently a blur of activity, as they work at top efficiency to equip a new automotive electronics lab. Test Site Sweden´s fall schedule involves two new EU projects in the area of intelligent transport systems, and they have submitted an application to the In Motion program for 20-minute high-speed charging of electric vehicles. They also enjoy active partnerships with other test facilities, with Innovatum and winter test facilities in Norrbotten spearheading the list.

International meeting place for automotive development, media and IT
The neutral interactive meeting place with Open Arena has expanded into new premises which today include a demo studio, a vehicle simulator, SAFER activities and a lounge for spontaneous brainstorming. SOS Alarm also runs a technical development center on premises. The Swedish Transport Administration is represented via its involvement in the FFI program, and plan to expand with the Vision Zero Academy. Another of Lindholmen Science Park´s ventures is a new arena for transport efficiency. The Demo Theatre Project, which was presented at the ITS World Congress in Stockholm, will also live on in the Science Park.

The floor below houses the just-opened conference center. This center boasts a large hall designed to accommodate up to 600 people and is equipped to host everything from conferences to large product presentations. The doors have even been adapted to admit commercial trucks.  

ASTA - a testing environment for active safety
With an increasing need for large, common testing facilities for the automotive industry, Lindholmen Science Park has been given the role of driving these types of processes to the goal. The vehicle simulator discussed above is just one example. Another is ASTA.

ASTA stands for Active Safety Test Area and has the potential to become the world´s largest testing facility for traffic safety. It is expected to be operational in 2012. The testing facilities will be an important hub for research surrounding the next generation´s traffic and safety systems. The intention is for industry, academia and the public to find a common workspace. The 400 hectare facilities will be located near the Hällered test track outside Borås, Sweden. They will comprise various sub-environments, such as an urban environment, a highway loop, a freeway section and an active safety area.  

“The infrastructure will be so good that we can attract researchers from around the world," says Peter Öhman with Test Site Sweden. SP and Chalmers have now taken over the process to drive the project onward.

Colleges and companies in close collaboration
A powerful phase of expansion in recent years has transformed Lindholmen Science Park into a united developmental environment such as Göteborg has never seen before. Today, over 250 know-how companies have been brought together with university, vocational and upper secondary education programs in one common and integrated area with a steadily growing urban environment complete with restaurants, housing and other services.