The Nürburgring isn’t just a racetrack for motorsports fans. The Nordschleife is also considered one of the automotive industry’s most important test tracks. Starting in June 2026, a university will participate in the exclusive test and development runs there for the first time. Researchers from Mittweida University of Applied Sciences are collecting data under extreme conditions to enable more realistic computer simulations of vehicles in the future.
Data from the race track for the lab
At the Nürburgring, it’s not about fast lap times. The extreme stresses reveal how brakes, batteries, and sensors perform under difficult conditions. Mittweida University of Applied Sciences collects this data using its own research vehicle, a 530 PS BMW M2, which was funded by industry grants.
The measurement data is analyzed in the “Motion Simulation and Software Development” Living Lab. With the help of artificial intelligence, this data is used to create a digital twin – a virtual vehicle model that behaves on the computer as closely as possible to the real car. This allows new vehicles and individual components to be tested under realistic conditions before they hit the road.
According to Professor Matthias Vodel, head of the Living Lab, this collaboration on vehicle development and data analysis is bringing science and the automotive industry even closer together. Before the university was allowed to participate in the test drives, the researchers had to complete training and pass driving tests at the Nürburgring Driving Academy. Only then did they receive the necessary certification.
