Trial information
The cars we’ll be using in this research – models from BMW, Mercedes, Tesla and Volvo – are already driven on Australian roads. They are considered to have level two ‘partial automation’ technology. You can also rest easy knowing there will be a professional driver with hands on the steering wheel at all times in live traffic.
We’ll be investigating how these level two vehicles interact with our existing infrastructure, and how – over time –our road infrastructure will adapt to better support these vehicles.
Level two vehicles generally include:
- Autonomous emergency braking – sensors identify when something is in your path and automatically brake.
- Adaptive cruise control – this function improves the safety of cruise control, identifying when the road conditions (traffic, weather, etc) change and adjusting your speed.
- Traffic jam assist – through a combination of adaptive cruise control and lane keep assist, this function improves safety and vehicle economy during heavy traffic conditions.
- Lane keep assist – sensors identify when your vehicle is about to move into another lane without indicating and steer back to a safe position in your lane.
So what are CAVs - and are they safe?
At their most automated,
Semi-automated
Want to learn more about the safety and money-saving potential of CAVs? This video from the US Department of Transport provides a great overview.
