Driverless Vehicle Summit opening in Adelaide

The 2017 International Driverless Vehicle Summit kicks off in Adelaide on Thursday November 16 at the Adelaide Convention Centre, bringing together 300 national and international professionals representing the insurance, enforcement, taxi, car hire, technology, research and disability sectors.

Running over two days, the second driverless vehicle summit is organised by Australia and New Zealand Driverless Vehicle Initiative (ADVI).

This year's summit will explore the theme of translating technology to real-world deployment. Delegates will network with world-leading experts while learning about the latest results from national and international trials of driverless vehicle types.

Experts claim that driverless cars will bring economic benefits as high as $95 billion per annum, while creating as many as 16,000 new jobs. Even more important are the untold benefits implicit in the claim that driverless vehicles have the potential to eliminate 90 per cent of all crashes.

According to ADVI executive director, Rita Excell: "It is exciting to think that Australia now has at least 15 connected and automated vehicle trials and pilot programs underway, which include priority systems for freight vehicles, driverless shuttles and Australia's first vehicle to pedestrian trial."

Ms Excell said driverless cars will not only be cleaner and more environmentally friendly – they will also, through shared-ownership or use-on-demand arrangements, contribute to fewer vehicles being on the road. These changes could be expected to influence areas currently being used as car parks, which could be converted to more attractive community uses.

"If you don't believe driverless cars will be embraced as new technology, just think of the way mobile phone technology has evolved over time, and how we have now adapted it into our everyday lives in a range of ways. That is why driverless vehicle technology is the ultimate game-changer in terms of urban form, and it will significantly change the way we use vehicles, access cities and get around each day.

"Driverless vehicles are far more than just a hands-free driving experience. This technology will spark an urban transformation that will change the way people navigate, access information, and fundamentally interact with one another." Ms Excell said.

Australia is strongly positioned to be at the forefront of driverless vehicle applications, with the chairman of mobility consultant MacroPlan, Mr Brian Haratsis, saying: "This transport technology is a game-changer, and as one of only a handful of countries pioneering on-road driverless vehicle research, Australia and New Zealand is becoming a global leader in the development and deployment of driverless vehicle technologies, and invigorate its automotive and technology sectors.

"While winning the hearts and minds of the public is one of our biggest hurdles, a recent ADVI survey has shown that people have an open mind. Most people said they were comfortable with a driverless vehicle controlling most driving functions, while 82 per cent agreed that fully automated cars would offer enhanced mobility for people driving with impairments or restrictions."

Haratsis is a member of a six-member panel set up as part of the driverless vehicle summit to allow the public, via an interactive session being held between 1.30pm and 3.00pm (SA time) on Friday 17th November, to tap into the knowledge of leading autonomous vehicle experts.

To propose a question during the interactive session, participants are invited to use their smartphones and search for ‘Sli.do' to access the app, then enter U900 for the Summit.

A hypothetical discussion paper can be downloaded from a web page.

For more information on the 2017 International Driverless Vehicle Summit, just go to the website.