Autonomous shuttle expert to speak at summit

Autonomous vehicles will be top of the agenda at the Australasian Driverless Vehicle Initiative (ADVI) Summit in Adelaide this week.

Dr Richard Fairchild, chief executive from autonomous pod manufacturer Aurrigo, will present the keynote speech touching on live trials conducted in Milton Keynes and Coventry in the UK.

Fairchild says Australia is a prime candidate to start adopting driverless pods.

“Australia is well-placed on in the global race to introduce driverless vehicles to the road network, and our pods offer opportunity for the public to experience this transport technology in a way which delivers real benefit while seamlessly integrating into our daily lives,” Fairchild says.

Milton Keynes, a motorsport and technology hub home to Formula 1 teams like Red Bull Racing, has been conducting driverless vehicle trials with pods capable of 24km/h operating speeds and 80-kilometre range.

“The Milton Keynes trial has seen 35 pods deployed as a public transportation service, with people being able to hail a pod using a mobile app and take a journey within the central business district,” Fairchild explains.

“Strong community take-up has surpassed all expectations and shows that the public are prepared to embrace this technology,” he says.

“Australia offers a massive opportunity to take our self-driving pod technology and apply it to the nation’s ‘first and last mile’ transport issues, and is perfectly suited to carrying people and cargo around pedestrianised areas such as theme parks, university precincts, retirement villages, hospitals, airports and shopping centres,” he concludes.

The second ADVI International Driverless Vehicle Summit runs from November 15-17 at the Adelaide Convention Centre in South Australia.