Automotive

Test Track attraction from Chevy and Disney lets public design their own vehicles

Test Track attraction from Chevy and Disney lets public design their own vehicles
Budding designers can evaluate their design in a six-person car
Budding designers can evaluate their design in a six-person car
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The evaluation portion of the ride uses six-person cars
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The evaluation portion of the ride uses six-person cars
The new Test Track updates the original Test Track sponsored by GM
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The new Test Track updates the original Test Track sponsored by GM
Visitors will design and test their very own vehicles
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Visitors will design and test their very own vehicles
Chevy will also have some of its own design on display
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Chevy will also have some of its own design on display
Visitors will get a look behind the scenes of Chevy design
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Visitors will get a look behind the scenes of Chevy design
The new Test Track opens in December
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The new Test Track opens in December
The Test Track ride is located in Epcot Theme Park
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The Test Track ride is located in Epcot Theme Park
Visitors will get a look behind the scenes of Chevy design
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Visitors will get a look behind the scenes of Chevy design
Guests will design vehicles with the help of computer hardware
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Guests will design vehicles with the help of computer hardware
The guest's vehicle information will be saved using RFID technology
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The guest's vehicle information will be saved using RFID technology
Guests will design vehicles with the help of computer hardware
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Guests will design vehicles with the help of computer hardware
Concept vehicles like the EN-V will be on display
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Concept vehicles like the EN-V will be on display
Chevy worked closely with Disney in rethinking the ride
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Chevy worked closely with Disney in rethinking the ride
Visitors should gain a new appreciation for car design
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Visitors should gain a new appreciation for car design
The new Test Track opens in December
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The new Test Track opens in December
Budding designers can evaluate their design in a six-person car
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Budding designers can evaluate their design in a six-person car
View gallery - 16 images

Any kid that has dreamt of designing their own car now has the chance to make that dream a (virtual) reality. A collaboration between Chevy designers and Walt Disney Imagineers has resulted in a redesigned, refocused Test Track at the Epcot Theme Park. Instead of telling the tale of vehicle testing and research like the original Test Track did, the new Test Track winds the clock back to the design phase.

More than just a passive tourist attraction, Test Track is intended to be an immersive experience that empowers guests to design their own vehicles using computer equipment similar to what Chevy designers use each day. Guests can design a car, truck or crossover with hints from Chevy designers.

After creating their very own masterpiece, budding designers will climb aboard the six-person ride car, which will serve to simulate a vehicle evaluation. The vehicle settings are loaded into the ride car with an RFID tap card, and speeds of up to 65 mph (105 km/h) can be reached while the vehicle is evaluated on how well it performs.

"Think of the ride as a base level virtual test," Jeff Mylenek, GM Design Manager, Global Exhibit and Merchandising Design, explained to us. "The unique calibrations of each guest's custom concept vehicle are tested against that base vehicle, virtually. The ride is a constant; individual results will vary based on the design. How well each guest vehicle performs in four testing segments (capability, efficiency, responsiveness and power) is displayed at the end of each segment of the ride, on a large screen."

After taking an exciting thrill ride, the wobbly kneed guest will make their way over to the digital driving table where they'll be able to "race" their vehicle against others over different types of terrain and conditions. They'll also be able to create and share a new commercial of the vehicle and take a photo with it.

"At Chevrolet, the diversity of talent on our team allows us to consistently produce sophisticated, refined and detailed design – but we don’t typically design through the eyes of a 12-year-old," Mylenek explained in a statement. "Working with Walt Disney Imagineering, we were inspired to see our brand story from a more youthful perspective and really opened the parameters on how to approach this design challenge."

The redesigned Test Track will open to the public on December 6.

Source: GM

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