Drivers put their cars to the test in Finland

Every year from November to April about 100 test teams for manufacturers of cars, auto parts and tires visit northern Finland to try out their products in the most demanding of conditions.

In Ivalo, one of the major Sami centres in Finland, the Test World company has transformed the airport’s second runway into a test site (in the winter no air traffic lands on this runway at Finland’s northernmost airport).

Another nearby test site run by the same company offers snow tracks, ice tracks, ice/snow circles and a so-called “split friction” track, where two wheels drive on dry asphalt and the other two on sheet ice.

There are also various slippery slopes and hills to test tire grip, ESP (Electronic Stability Programme) handling and suspension brake systems.

Customers who want to test their new models and prototypes in secret often run the tests at night.

The Helsingin Sanomat newspaper says there are four companies in northern Finland promoting similar services.

The testing teams provide a major revenue boost to the region. Ivalo Test World has about 40 employees. Its clients also stay in local hotels and spend money on reindeer and dog sled trips.