Ruqayyah Snyder
The idea of self-driving cars, once the stuff of science fiction, is inching closer to reality. While some manufacturers claimed we'd all be in driverless vehicles by now, this has proven to be premature. Experts say that self-driving cars in Australia are still a few years away, and will likely first appear in specific circumstances rather than for widespread personal use.
Although fully autonomous vehicles have started to become a fixture in other countries like the US, Australian experts say they could be introduced to local roads on a smaller scale in the near future.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Current status of driverless cars in Australia | Currently, full driverless cars in Australia are not legal. |
| Trials and testing | Trials are being conducted in various parts of Australia. For example, in 2018, La Trobe University in Melbourne tested an autonomous bus around its campus. In 2023, a driverless ute was tested in Dubbo, NSW, and an autonomous bus was trialled in Western Australia. The first demonstration of autonomous vehicles in Australia occurred in October 2018 in Adelaide CBD. |
| Public perception | There is excitement and anticipation surrounding the potential of driverless technology, but also an acknowledgment that it is more challenging to develop than anticipated. Older people, in particular, may be more hesitant to fully trust and utilise existing driver-assistance features. |
| Legislative and regulatory developments | The Automated Vehicle Safety Law is being developed to regulate and repair driverless cars and accommodate them within existing road rules. The National Transport Commission (NTC) is also working on a regulatory framework to support autonomous driving. |
| Anticipated timeline for implementation | Experts predict that fully autonomous cars for widespread personal use are at least five to ten years away, and may never happen. However, autonomous vehicles are expected to be introduced on a smaller scale in specific circumstances, such as retirement villages, airports, and rural regions. By 2030, it is forecasted that 2.6% of new passenger vehicles will be highly or fully automated, increasing to around half by 2046. |
| Safety considerations | Autonomous vehicles are considered safer than human-driven cars when the technology is correctly deployed, as they can eliminate human error, which contributes to up to 90% of road fatalities. However, studies indicate that self-driving cars may be more prone to accidents and raise ethical questions about how to minimise risk for passengers and other road users. |
| Technology and features | Self-driving cars use technologies such as in-built GPS, LADAR (lasers for measuring distance), cameras, radar, and on-board computers to analyse information. They operate through "geofencing" (mapping an area) or visual adaptation to their environment. |
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What You'll Learn
Current legal status of driverless cars in Australia
The current legal status of driverless cars in Australia is that they are not yet legal for use on public roads. However, trials are being conducted, and new federal legislation is being developed to allow the use of autonomous vehicles in the country.
Several Australian states have introduced regulations and permits for AV testing and trials. South Australia was the first state to pass legislation allowing autonomous vehicle testing in 2016, followed by New South Wales and Victoria. Trials are currently ongoing in New South Wales, with companies testing autonomous delivery vehicles for goods transport.
The Federal Government is working on legislation called the Automated Vehicle Safety Law (AVSL) to regulate and repair driverless cars and change road rules to accommodate them. The legislation has already been through a public consultation period. The law will ensure driverless cars are safe for Australian road users, addressing concerns that studies in the US have indicated—that self-driving cars may be more prone to accidents.
While fully autonomous vehicles are not yet legal, some 'autopilot' features are available in cars in Australia, such as in Teslas. Tesla Autopilot and Enhanced Autopilot are both legal in Australia, but Tesla's Full Self-Driving mode is not.
Experts anticipate that fully driverless vehicles in Australia will be in use by 2030. However, some experts say that widespread, real-world application of level four and five autonomy is at least a decade away.
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Predicted timeline for driverless cars in Australia
The timeline for the introduction of driverless cars in Australia is uncertain, with several factors influencing the pace of development and adoption.
Currently, full driverless cars are not legal in Australia, but this is expected to change in the coming years. The country has been conducting trials and developing new federal legislation to accommodate the use of autonomous vehicles. The Automated Vehicle Safety Law, for instance, aims to regulate driverless cars, ensure their safety, and address potential road safety concerns.
In terms of a predicted timeline, experts offer varying estimates. Some suggest that fully autonomous cars carrying passengers without any human intervention are at least five to ten years away and may never fully materialize. However, it is worth noting that Level 4 autonomous cars have already been spotted testing in various parts of Australia, such as in Queensland and Western Australia. These Level 4 cars are self-driving vehicles that can function under limited conditions and are already in use in specific real-world settings worldwide.
While the widespread, real-world application of Level 4 and 5 autonomy is expected to take at least a decade, more limited use cases for autonomous vehicles may emerge sooner. For instance, autonomous vehicles could be introduced in specific circumstances, such as in retirement villages, communities as last-mile transport, at airports, or in rural or remote regions.
The National Transport Commission (NTC) in Australia is preparing for a small number of highly or fully automated vehicles to be imported as soon as 2026. Additionally, the Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics forecasts that 2.6% of new passenger vehicles will be highly or fully automated by 2030, with this number increasing to around half of all new vehicles by 2046.
In conclusion, while the exact timeline remains uncertain, Australia is making progress towards the adoption of driverless cars. The technology is expected to be introduced gradually, with limited use cases emerging in the near future and more widespread adoption potentially taking a decade or more to materialize.
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Trials of driverless cars in Australia
Australia has been conducting trials of driverless cars since 2015, with the first on-road trials taking place in Adelaide, South Australia. The trials were conducted by Volvo in conjunction with several universities and technology companies. The cars performed manoeuvres such as overtaking, lane changing, emergency braking, and the use of on and off ramps. The trial was meant to establish how the technology would be developed for the Australian market, considering the country's unique driving behaviour, climate, and road conditions.
Since then, South Australia has become the first jurisdiction in the country to allow on-road driverless car trials, with other states following suit. Companies can now apply to trial driverless car technology on public roads in the state. The Motor Vehicles Act, as amended by the Motor Vehicles (Trials of Automotive Technologies) Amendment Act 2016, enables trials of advanced automotive and driverless vehicle technology in the state.
Several other trials have been conducted in Australia, including the RAC Intellibus® trial, which operated on public roads in Perth and regional Western Australia for nearly seven years, concluding in June 2023. The trial gave over 28,000 people the chance to experience automated vehicle technology first-hand and highlighted the safety and accessibility of automated travel for the entire community.
Flinders University has also received funding for a five-year, $4 million driverless last-mile shuttle project, in partnership with several industry supporters. The project will involve trialling the use of an autonomous pod for deliveries of light freight and transporting small numbers of passengers within the Tonsley Innovation Precinct.
While fully autonomous vehicles are not yet legal in Australia, the Federal Government is developing legislation to allow their use by 2030. The Automated Vehicle Safety Law will address how driverless cars should be regulated and repaired, and how road rules might need to change to accommodate them.
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Safety of driverless cars
The safety of driverless cars in Australia is a key concern for legislators and road safety authorities. While driverless cars have the potential to significantly reduce road accidents caused by human error, there are concerns about their safety. Studies in the US indicate that self-driving cars are more prone to accidents, which could lead to more severe consequences.
Currently, fully autonomous vehicles are not legal in Australia, and there are over 700 laws preventing them from being on the road. However, this is expected to change with new federal legislation that will allow their use by 2030. The National Transport Commission (NTC) is working on a unified legal framework to guide the safe introduction of self-driving cars, addressing liability and safety standards.
The Automated Vehicle Safety Law (AVSL) will be a crucial part of the regulatory framework, ensuring the safe operation of automated vehicles on Australian roads. The AVSL will place responsibility for the safety of the automated driving system on a corporation, known as the Automated Driving System Entity, rather than the human driver. This entity will be responsible for ensuring the system meets technical standards, operates safely on the road, and has the necessary skills and capabilities to address safety duties and obligations.
To ensure the safe introduction of driverless cars, Australia must address several challenges. Firstly, the country's infrastructure, including roads, traffic systems, and parking spaces, needs upgrades to accommodate the seamless operation of AVs alongside human-driven vehicles. Secondly, there are legislative gaps in current road rules that need to be addressed, including defining the 'driver' and 'control' of autonomous vehicles and clarifying insurance and liability in the event of an accident.
While the potential benefits of driverless cars in Australia are significant, ensuring their safe operation is a complex and ongoing process that requires collaboration between government, regulators, and manufacturers.
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How driverless cars work
While fully autonomous cars in Australia are still likely at least five to ten years away, driverless cars are already being tested on Australian roads. The first demonstration of these autonomous vehicles was conducted in October 2018 on the streets of the Adelaide CBD.
Driverless cars, also known as autonomous cars, are vehicles capable of sensing their environment and operating without human involvement. A human passenger is not required to be present in the vehicle at all. An autonomous car can go anywhere a traditional car goes and do everything that an experienced human driver does.
Self-driving cars use camera technology to see in high resolution. Cameras are used to read road signs and markings. A variety of lenses are placed around self-driving vehicles, providing wide-angle views of close-up surroundings and longer, narrower views of what’s ahead. In addition to cameras, radar and lidar are also used to provide numerical data. Radar sensors monitor the position of nearby vehicles, while lidar (light detection and ranging) sensors bounce pulses of light off the car’s surroundings to measure distances, detect road edges, and identify lane markings. Ultrasonic sensors in the wheels detect curbs and other vehicles when parking. Sophisticated software then processes all this sensory input, plots a path, and sends instructions to the car’s actuators, which control acceleration, braking, and steering.
Self-driving cars may also be “connected”, allowing them to communicate with other vehicles or infrastructure, like next-generation traffic lights. Driverless technology operates either through "geofencing" — mapping an area to the millimetre, so a car knows exactly where it is and how to deal with its surroundings. Or, it adapts to its environment visually.
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Frequently asked questions
No, currently, driverless cars are not legal in Australia. However, trials are being conducted and new federal legislation is being developed to allow for the use of autonomous vehicles.
While there is no definitive timeline, experts predict that driverless cars will be introduced in Australia on a small scale in the near future. Some sources suggest that driverless cars will be more realistic in certain situations, such as in retirement villages, rural areas, and airports. It is predicted that a small number of vehicles will be imported into Australia as soon as 2026, and that 2.6% of new passenger vehicles will be highly or fully automated by 2030.
One challenge for driverless cars in Australia is the vast and varied landscape of the country. It is difficult to map every centimetre of Australia, especially in remote areas. Another challenge is the perception of safety. While studies have shown that self-driving cars are safer than human-driven cars, humans will be quicker to judge and less forgiving when deaths occur in driverless cars.
Driverless cars have the potential to be a game-changer for road transport in Australia. They can improve road safety by reducing accidents caused by human error, increase productivity and mobility, and provide better environmental outcomes.
