BUDAPEST, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- The interest in the new Hungarian vehicle test track in Zalaegerszeg, West Hungary is enormous, with enquiries from hundreds of companies working in or with the automotive sector, according to official sources here on Wednesday.
"The new Zalaegerszeg test track already signed its first four contracts with testing companies, but hundreds of other companies are interested in the test circuit called Zala Zone," said Hungarian innovation and technology minister Laszlo Palkovics.
"The first four buyers have already completed many tests on the track, and negotiations are underway with 300 companies," Palkovics told Hungarian news agency MTI.
"Most of them are automotive manufacturers, suppliers, and telecommunications companies," he added.
Palkovics spoke of the uniqueness of Zala Zone and of its outstanding complexity when it comes to self-driving technologies. "This one-of-a-kind development in the automotive industry was one the reasons why BMW chose Hungary for the location of its new plant."
Earlier this year, German car maker BMW chose the Hungarian town of Debrecen for the location of its new state-of-the-art plant.
The full range services of Zala Zone will be ready at the end of 2019 or early 2020.
The high-speed steer ability course, the dynamic road surface, the two main buildings and the 5G communications system have been installed, according to the minister.
Zala Zone is unique because the traditional test track features -- focusing on driving and driving stability -- are combined with the research and development infrastructure elements of future vehicles in a multi-level validation system.
It also allows validation tests for autonomous (self-driving) vehicles and electric vehicles as well.
The Hungarian government decided to create the Zala Zone in May 2016.
