« What if we were to create a car manufacturer simulator with unprecedented capabilities? » That was the dizzying idea behind Project ROADS: a giant simulator that mobilized Renault Group’s engineering and real estate management teams for many years, in particular to construct the entire building that would go on to house the simulator, designed down to the last centimeter and watt. Each phase of the building’s construction and equipment installation was to serve the same goal: meet the demanding expectations the Group had for the simulator. This is the story of a journey full of pitfalls and innovative solutions to see the gargantuan project become a success with Serge Diop, ROADS Project Lead at Renault Group Engineering.
While Renault Group has been using driving simulators for the past 25 years to design vehicles, the project for the new ROADS simulator, put into service in spring 2023, is on a very different scale. Venturing into the era of « the next generation automotive company » required a cutting-edge simulator with the best acceleration and immersive capabilities. It meant pulling out all stops to make room for the simulator at the Guyancourt Technocentre, with a brand-new building where engineering teams could push the powerful, dynamic system to its limit. An ambitious project, full of pitfalls and hurdles to overcome.