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Honda’s Fancy New Wind Tunnel in Ohio Can Help a Race Car and a CR-V Equally

Honda has opened a new $124 million state-of-the-art wind tunnel facility just north of Columbus, dubbed HALO, or Honda Automotive Laboratories of Ohio. According to the carmaker, this facility holds the world’s most advanced wind tunnel, featuring three separate testing functions (aerodynamics, aeroacoustics and racing) all in one location.
Honda HALO facility in Ohio 16 photos
Photo: Honda
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The HALO facility reinforces the company’s commitment to develop fuel-efficient and fun-to-drive vehicles, while also housing a unique interchangeable modular ground plane system, on which you can test pretty much anything from an IndyCar to a Honda CR-V or an Acura TLX.

Thanks to its five-belt rolling road system and a second single wide-belt system, the tunnel can generate wind speeds of more than 190 miles per hour (305 kph). Meanwhile, the previously mentioned acoustic test system consists of powerful acoustic arrays, made up of microphones and cameras that collect real-time data and precision movement.

As Honda moves towards an electrified future, noise reduction becomes even more important – without engine and exhaust noise, wind noise suddenly becomes more noticeable inside the cabin of an EV. However, thanks to this acoustic test system, Honda engineers can identify the precise locations of both interior and exterior noise issues more quickly than before.

“Honda's product development capabilities will advance to new heights thanks to this investment in our Ohio research operations,” said Jim Keller, executive VP of Honda Development & Manufacturing of America. “With this new facility, Honda is not simply investing in an advanced technology facility but in the future of the Honda engineers and other researchers who will work here.”

The HALO wind tunnel is Honda’s latest major investment in the state of Ohio, where the Japanese brand has been advancing its ability to develop and build products for over 40 years, investing roughly $14 billion to date. Honda also claims that it is, at the moment, America's most fuel efficient and lowest CO2 full-line automaker.
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About the author: Sergiu Tudose
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Sergiu got to experience both American and European car "scenes" at an early age (his father drove a Ford Fiesta XR2 supermini in the 80s). After spending over 15 years at local and international auto publications, he's starting to appreciate comfort behind the wheel more than raw power and acceleration.
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