Imagine a world where you could get a lift from a driver-less car or drive completely hands-free. That's what the Florida Department of Transportation and Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise are working on at SunTrax, a 475-acre vehicle research + development facility located near Florida Polytechnic University.

Phase One of construction on the facility began in 2017, and Phase Two was completed in June 2023. Here's a look at what was included in each phase:

🚗 Phase One

A 2.25-mile oval test track has been operational since 2019. It's used to test autonomous vehicles and new toll technologies with four overhead toll gantries. The track is designed for high-speed travel up to 70 mph.

🚗 Phase Two

The 200-acre infield was the focus of Phase Two. It includes several testing environments, such as:

Geometry track with grade changes
Loop track with entrance + exit ramps and road construction/collision avoidance testing
Urban simulations using shipping containers that can be reconfigured like city buildings
Suburban and pick-up/drop-off areas that replicate airports, hotels, and more
Noise, vibration, and harshness testing areas with eight pavement surfaces
Technology pad
Wet test tracks

Phase Two also includes the Main Entry Campus, featuring flexible space for a 20,000-sqft conference center, classrooms, event space, and a full-service cafe. The infield will also house maintenance and workshop bays, plus a 75-ft observation tower to catch all the action happening in the tests.

The price tag on a project this large? $141.2 million. The infield is officially open for testing, but you can see it for yourself with this 360 degree virtual tour.