The first on-road trial of automated vehicle technology will occur in rural Victoria under the State Government’s new Automated Driving System (ADS) permit scheme. Acting Premier of Victoria, Jacinta Allan, announced $2.3 million from the Connected and Automated Vehicle (CAV) Trial Grants Program has been awarded to a company currently developing automated vehicle technology.
“Victoria is leading the nation in the future of on-road technology and this trial is an exciting step towards driverless vehicles hitting the road,” Ms Allan said.
Ms Allan announced that Bosch will be the company to carry out the first CAV trials.
Victoria finalised regulations to support the ADS permit scheme in 2018, which authorises the use of automated vehicles for testing and development on our roads.
Bosch, is currently developing its automated vehicle technology and will begin testing on high-speed rural roads later in 2019.
The aim of the Bosch trial is to use the state-of-the-art technology to improve safety on rural Victorian roads, where drivers are five times as likely to be killed in a crash than in metropolitan areas.
The testing will be conducted on roads that expose the automated vehicle to a range of different conditions including traffic, weather and infrastructure.
President of Bosch Australia, Gavin Smith, said, “Bosch is a proud leader in vehicle safety systems and is eager to commence this trial with technologies that will show how we can improve road safety and reduce road trauma on rural roads.”
The $9 million Connected and Automated Vehicle Trial Grants Program is funded through the Victorian Government’s $1.4 billion Towards Zero Action Plan.
In late 2017, VicRoads called for expressions of interest from companies, industry bodies and other transport technology organisations to apply for funding to spur the development of these emerging technologies, with a view to reducing deaths and serious injuries.
Other successful applicants will be announced soon.
The trials are aimed at supporting Victoria’s readiness for CAV technologies. The knowledge gained is set to provide a better understanding of the infrastructure required to get these vehicles on the road, maximising their safety benefits.
Member for Clarinda, Meng Heang Tak, said, “This is not only great news for road safety – but our local community also benefits with high skilled jobs and more investment.”
