Geely sets five Guinness World Records with world’s largest automotive safety centre

Geely Auto Group has officially opened its new Geely Safety Centre in Ningbo, China, unveiling what it says is the world’s largest and most advanced automotive safety testing facility. The centre sets five new Guinness World Records and is designed to meet the growing safety demands of electrified and intelligent vehicles.

Covering 45,000 square metres and backed by an initial investment claimed to be more than RMB 2 billion, the Chinese car maker says its Safety Centre brings together an ‘unprecedented range of testing capabilities under one roof’. The facility is said to support everything from traditional crash and pedestrian protection testing through to simulations for active safety systems, battery and new-energy powertrains, cybersecurity and vehicle health assessments.

According to Geely, the centre represents a shift toward what it calls “comprehensive safety” – a broader approach that goes beyond vehicle and occupant protection to include digital security, data privacy, health and environmental considerations. This is particularly relevant as vehicles become increasingly connected and software-driven. Hopefully they are working hard to eradicate all the bonging and dinging from these systems and taming the overly zealous lane keeping features. 

A key feature of the new facility is its dedicated cybersecurity testing capability, certified to CNAS standards. These labs are designed to assess vulnerabilities across multiple attack vectors, including chips, firmware, data transmission and encryption, over-the-air updates, sensors and electronic control units. The aim is to ensure vehicles are secure not only physically, but digitally as well.

Human and environmental health also form a core part of the centre’s remit. Geely’s so-called “Golden Nose” team focuses on identifying volatile materials, odours and harmful substances, with the goal of meeting a “zero harmful gas and odour” standard for vehicles and components.

The scale of the Geely Safety Centre has earned it five Guinness World Records, including the world’s largest automotive safety laboratory at 81,930.745 square metres and the longest indoor crash test track, stretching 293.39 metres. It also houses the largest altitude- and climate-adjustable wind tunnel for vehicle testing, capable of simulating snow, rain and solar radiation at wind speeds of up to 250km/h. Other records include the largest arbitrary-angle crash test zone and the widest range of safety tests available within a single automaker’s facility, offering 27 different test types.

Geely says the centre combines global best practice in automotive safety with its own rapidly expanding research and development capabilities, allowing it to push beyond existing regulatory requirements. It will also act as a collaboration platform for global partners, supporting the development of future safety technologies and standards.