The Australian state of Victoria has approved a trial of driverless car trials in a rural part of the region.
Acting Premier Jacinta Allan today announced that Bosch has been awarded $2.3 million (£1.3m) from the Connected and Automated Vehicle Trial Grants Programme and granted the state’s first ADS permit for on-road testing of highly automated driving systems.
Bosch iwill begin testing on high-speed rural roads later in 2019 with the aim of using technology to improve safety on rural Victorian roads – where figures show 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.
Acting Premier Jacinta Allan explained, “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.
“The tragic fact is that you’re five times as likely to be killed on a rural road than in the city. That’s why we’re rolling out a record roads investment in rural Victoria – and this is another way we can improve safety and save lives.”
“Bosch is a proud leader in vehicle safety systems,” added Bosch Australia’s President Australia Gavin Smith, “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.”
