Since the major OEMs are looking for partners able to offer a "Turn Key" service, the necessity to have a complete development and validation process has been integrated into the Italdesign-Giugiaro structure by the creation of the Testing Department. The Testing Department allow us to take the complete responsibility on the Vehicle Target Achievement. As "Vehicle Integrator", responsible of the Whole Vehicle Performances, our role in a Turn-Key Program covers basically the following items:

- Vehicle integration and validation, mock-ups and prototypes construction and testing related activities
- Vehicle complete development management, both for specific areas directly developed by IDG and for product development activities done by suppliers. Nowadays the Testing Department Team has a consolidated know-how in a wide range of  automotive engineering areas such as:
- Aerodynamics
- Heat, Ventilation & Air Conditioning (HVAC)
- Engine Thermal Management
- Handling & Comfort
- Functionality & Road Test
- Passive Safety
- Durability / Strength / Static Stiffness
- Noise Vibration & Harshness (NVH)
- Squeak & Rattle
- Fuel System
- Engine Calibration
- EMC

During the development process an high integration within design, simulation and testing minimize the time to market and the number of prototypes increasing the global quality. Some of the main advantages in our methodology are:

- Number of prototype optimization
- Prototype and Testing Cost Optimization
- Reduction of the lead time to achieve design validation
- Successful and effective design improvements and design validation

The keywords for a successful development are Integration and Competence starting from the concept phase to the Series Production passing through a consolidated process based on the following steps:

Target Setting - The vehicle target are defined starting from the external constraints such as Costs, Markets, Technical Contents, Product and Process Performance.
Benchmarking - The knowledge of the competitors performance is taken as a support for the Project Team to define and agree on the Vehicle Targets.
Target Deployment - how to transform a customer need in measurable engineering value.
Testing Activities Definition - The definition of the Testing Activities necessary for the development is based on the results of the Target setting and deployment activity.
Prototype Definition - The definition of the testing objects necessary for the development is based on the Testing Activities requirements (Vehicles, Mechanized Body, BIW, Trunks, Sub systems / Components)
Test Plan Definition - The definition of the testing scheduling is based on the PROJECT MASTER SCHEDULE.
Test Plan Monitoring and Management - The testing scheduling is continuously updated and modified based on the PROJECT PERFORMANCE STAUS.

Our working process, based on e strong integration of the involved parties, allows to optimize the synergies within the different performances areas and to minimize the testing activities. As consequence, the global number of Testing Objects is sensibly reduced without jeopardizing the overall project development and the timing is, as much as possible, compressed according the Project Master Schedule minimizing the technical risks.