The future is coming to Bundaberg with residents given the opportunity to be among the first to test-ride Queensland’s most advanced automated vehicle next month.
The demonstration, which will see Bundaberg Region residents given the opportunity to test-ride the automated car ZOE2, is part of the Department of Transport and Main Roads Cooperative and Highly Automated Driving (CHAD) Pilot.
The CHAD pilot seeks to identify the potential impacts of introducing the automated vehicles onto Queensland roads and includes a research vehicle called ZOE2.
ZOE2 – which is short for zero emissions – is a prototype which allows the automated system to be given control within predefined geographical areas.
Outside of these areas the driver is required to take back control.
Features include data recording mode, automated mode up to a speed of 50 km/h and a European compliant cooperative intelligent transport system equipment, which means the vehicle can speak to infrastructure such as a signalised intersection which have been upgraded with the same cooperative technology.
Participate in automated vehicle test-ride at the Multiplex
Residents can experience the ‘self-driving’ technology in action during a Bundaberg demonstration where ZOE2 will navigate real traffic, starting from the Bundaberg Multiplex Sports and Convention Centre, travelling past Bundaberg West State School and back.
Participants will get to see firsthand how this future technology works, how the car negotiates traffic, adapts its speed to the road and interacts with the supervising driver to safely transport passengers.
While the automated vehicle demonstration and more test-ride opportunities will be officially launched on June 1, a limited release of sessions are now available to be booked online here: http://tinyurl.com/Zoe2Demo.
The automated vehicle demonstration will provide residents with a unique opportunity to witness innovative technology in action.
Sessions are running from Monday 6 June to Friday 10 June 2022 with bookings for Monday 6 June and Tuesday 7 June now open.
The remaining sessions will open from Wednesday 1 June 2022.
Each session can seat up to three passengers.
The Department of Transport and Main Roads is working in partnership with the Motor Accident Insurance Commission (MAIC), iMOVE Australia and the Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety – Queensland (CARRS-Q) to deliver this automated vehicle demonstration in Bundaberg.
Eligibility requirements will need to be met by interested participants and are detailed through the booking link.
Participants will be required to complete pre and post demonstration interviews with CARRS-Q.
Visit www.qld.gov.au/cavi for more information on the Cooperative and Automated Vehicle Initiative and its associated projects exploring emerging vehicle technologies.
