Driverless vehicle trial puts public in the picture

Tuesday, 26 February 2019

A trial of the Local Motors built autonomous vehicle Olli along the Glenelg foreshore is proving popular with locals and tourists, as they discover driverless vehicle technology first-hand.

Equally, the Sage Automation Matilda transit hubs at each end of the journey are drawing attention through their interactive displays and booking system.

The Glenelg trial is a partnership between Local Motors, Sage Automation, DPTI and Holdfast Bay. It is scheduled to run until May 2019.

Autonomous vehicles are being touted as a not-too-distant solution to a first and last mile transport needs, including in aged care and retirement facilities, in shopping centres and for “last mile” activities such as moving from public transport hubs to retail centres.

During the trial phase, chaperones remain on board the vehicles to answer travellers’ questions and to ensure maximum safety.

The Glenelg trial is regarded as important work, with the new technology being gradually introduced to South Australia. This allows the public to discover how it works and find the potential benefits for themselves.

Already, some Glenelg locals are using Olli to get to the shopping precinct and back.