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Steering the future with autonomous vehicle research
Wednesday, 31 August 2022
A driverless shuttle bus is back on the road as the autonomous vehicle trial returns to the Tonsley Innovation precinct.
The original 2018 trial of the Flinders University shuttle (FLEX) established it as the first autonomous vehicle in South Australia to offer first and last-mile transport on public roads within the 61-hectare Tonsley Innovation Precinct.
The FLEX trial was suspended in March 2020 due to the impact of COVID-19. The trial has now resumed and will help to shape the future application of autonomous technology, including:
- Trialling on-demand technologies using a mobile app booking system
- Testing how the FLEX autonomous vehicle can communicate with traffic signals
- Simulating travel without an on-board safety operator using an operations supervision centre.
The FLEX vehicle, which seats 11 passengers, can be docked within a six-bay solar re-charging garage, constructed near the Tonsley Administration building on Tonsley Boulevard.
The solar re-charging station will also be available for members of the public to recharge their electric vehicles for free, as part of an awareness campaign to promote carbon neutral transport options.
The Department for Infrastructure and Transport, Flinders University, the RAA and iMOVE Australia are partnering to trial this innovative automated vehicle technology, supported by SAGE Automation and Keolis Downer.