The driverless shuttle bus service at Sydney Olympic Park is the first vehicle in the country to interact autonomously with live traffic.
Minister for Roads Andrew Constance launched the new service at the International Driverless Vehicle Summit.
“Sydney is really among the world leaders when it comes to autonomous vehicles,” Mr. Constance said.
“We now have two smart shuttles ‘talking’ to the conditions and infrastructure around them. Customers can get on board and test ride these busses over the next six months to help us gain insights into how autonomous vehicles can improve services and how this technology will shape our future transport,” he said.
In an Australian first, the vehicles will communicate autonomously with live traffic signals to negotiate an intersection – connecting passengers to Olympic Park Station, restaurants and carparks.
Customers turn up and go with a bus arriving every 10-15 minutes on weekdays.
“This new stage is important to help us understand how autonomous vehicles can connect to our infrastructure, like traffic lights and digital bus stops,” Mr. Constance said.
The NSW Government has invested $10 million for additional testing over four years to have less congested, safer and more efficient roads in the future.
A wide range of driverless vehicle technology from Australia and abroad will be on display in the Sydney Olympic Park forecourt and surrounding streets. Demonstrations are open to the public today (29th October 2019).
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