From aftermarketNews Staff & Wire Reports

BRUSSELS and HANOVER, Germany -- WABCO Holdings Inc., a provider of electronic braking, stability, suspension and transmission automation systems for heavy duty commercial vehicles, yesterday opened the vehicle dynamics extension of its existing test track located in Jeversen, Germany.

Investing approximately $4.7 million in the project, WABCO's test track extension provides capabilities for dynamic and stability testing on trucks, truck/trailer combinations and buses at high speeds, offering optimum development conditions for the company's innovative stability control systems such as electronic braking systems (EBS), roll stability support (RSS) and electronic stability control (ESC).

WABCO pioneered ESC for commercial vehicles in 2001 and has continued to drive ESC innovation ever since. Furthermore, the European Union will mandate ESC technology for new heavy class commercial vehicles starting in 2012, resulting in a sharp increase in the number of tests to be conducted at WABCO's proving ground in Germany, as ESC systems need to be adapted and certified for different ranges of commercial vehicle models.

"Our test track extension in Germany enables a significantly accelerated process for development and certification of new stability control systems in partnership with our customers ahead of market introduction," said Kurt Lehmann, WABCO vice president, product development. "Inaugurating this new facility further marks our technology leadership and strongly supports our growth as we continue to outpace the commercial vehicle industry."

Welcoming industry and public sector guests at the inauguration ceremony, Jacques Esculier, WABCO Chief Executive Officer, cut the ribbon of the renamed "Erich Reinecke Test Track," honoring the memory of the company's late Vice President for Group Engineering, Erich Reinecke, who pioneered a multitude of electronic control systems for commercial vehicles during his 38 years at WABCO.

"Ongoing vehicle testing throughout the product development process, from the first prototype to the start of series production, is indispensable for achieving excellent system quality," said Christian Wiehen, WABCO chief technology officer. "In anticipation of regulatory requirements, our extended test facilities in Germany allow faster certification of new systems, as part of our worldwide partnership with customers to validate their leading-edge products while shortening their time to market."

For more information about WABCO, go to: http://www.wabco-auto.com.