The reality of automated vehicles on Australian roads is inching closer, with new trials underway on the Monash-CityLink-Tullamarine corridor in Melbourne.
The Andrews Labor Government is partnering with VicRoads, RACV and Transurban, to trial connected and automated vehicles from manufacturers BMW, Mercedes, Tesla and Volvo.
The study will look at how to prepare road infrastructure, regulations and the community for the integration of this new technology into our transport system.
This first phase of the program will examine how features like lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control and traffic sign recognition, respond to the road environment including tunnels, road works, congestion, electronic speed signs and line markings.
The vehicles involved in the trial comply with existing Australian Design Rules (ADR) and road safety regulations and will have professional drivers who will be holding the steering wheel at all times when conducting trials in live traffic.
Phase one of the trial will be complete later this year. The complete trial program will take two years and consists of three phases.
“Victoria is at the forefront of automated vehicle technology – we’re investing in this trial to explore ways that this technology can be used to reduce crashes and keep people safe on our roads,” said Minister for Roads and Road Safety, Luke Donnellan.
“This technology is moving at a rapid pace, and we want to ensure our roads and the community are ready for these changes,” said VicRoads CEO, John Merritt.