Review

Prepared by Cathryn Grant

DRIVERLESS VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY IS OFFERING HOPE OF A TRULY INDEPENDENT FUTURE TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE TO RELY ON OTHERS FOR TRANSPORT

Author: Fran Molloy

Date: 22 December 2017

Source: The Royal Automobile Club of WA (RAC) https://rac.com.au/car-motoring/info/future_driverless-and-mobility (accessed 08/10/2020)

Discussion:

Transportation can be a big issue for some people with a disability, the elderly and children that are not yet of driving age or those that do not have access to a private vehicle. Can autonomous vehicles (AV) be part of the answer?

The RAC in partnership with the Western Australian Government and the City of South Perth have been trialing a driverless bus in South Perth since 1 September 2016. This was the first trial of its kind in Australia and is called the Intellibus. It travels along a 3.5km set route through many different traffic experiences. There are two chaperones on board at all times.

The results of a post-ride survey indicate that:

- 84% reported their experience as extremely positive

- 81% of people strongly agreed that this technology would enhance freedom and independence for the young, ageing and those with mobility difficulties

- 59% reported not at all being concerned about learning how to use a driverless vehicle

- 98% believed that the Intellibus could be used as a future service in WA

AV trials and innovation is underway in all other states of Australia now. Visit the following website to read more: https://austroads.com.au/drivers-and-vehicles/future-vehicles-and-technology/ trials.

Our challenge is to ensure that the many and varied needs of people with a disability are factored into these new technologies, including the vehicles and supporting infrastructure which incorporates the built environment and software technologies.