Daniel Andrews Labor Government is partnering with Transurban, VicRoads, and RACV for trials that will see connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) taken out on Melbourne roads as part of an ongoing investigation.
The trials will test automated features such as braking, adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist to see how the vehicles interact with current Melbourne infrastructure and how future road projects can best support those level 2 vehicles.
“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,” Minister for Roads and Road Safety Luke Donnellan said.
Melbourne’s busy Monash-CityLink-Tullamarine corridor will act as the main test base for the three-month research project with the team using models from BMW, Mercedes, Tesla and Volvo – cars that are already on Australian roads.
RACV General Manager of Public Policy Brian Negus said the project was an important step in understanding how CAVs will change the way Victorians use their cars on the road.
“We want to get a clear understanding for our members of the potential safety improvements offered by automated vehicles; how the technology works and what the implications are for the community,” he said.
Key Features of Level 2 vehicles:
- Autonomous emergency braking – sensors identify when something is in your path and automatically brake.
- Adaptive cruise control – this function improves the safety of cruise control, identifying when the road conditions (traffic, weather, etc) change and adjusting your speed.
- Traffic jam assist – through a combination of adaptive cruise control and lane keep assist, this function improves safety and vehicle economy during heavy traffic conditions.
- Lane keep assist – sensors identify when your vehicle is about to move into another lane without indicating and steer back to a safe position in your lane.
The video below provides more details on how connected vehicles will change the future of road use:
