Canberra’s role in developing autonomous vehicle technology

As I sit behind the wheel of my automotive, my hands on the wheel and my eyes on the road ahead, I can’t help but wonder what the long run of transport will appear to be. Will cars still be driven by humans, or will autonomous vehicles take over? And if that’s the case, what role will my hometown of Canberra play in advancing this technology?

The reality is that Canberra is already playing a big role in the event and testing of autonomous vehicle technology. Actually, town has turn into something of a hub for autonomous vehicle research and development, with a variety of industry players and government agencies working together to push the boundaries of what is feasible.

Local businesses are also getting in on the trend, with corporations like Cash for cars Canberra offering money for unwanted or damaged vehicles that may be recycled or reused. This not only helps reduce the environmental impact of old cars, but additionally provides an economic incentive for people to modify to more sustainable modes of transport.

Some of the famous players on this industry is Australian National University Autonomy LaboratoryThe lab, which is a component of the Research School of Computer Science at ANU, focuses on developing autonomous systems for a wide range of applications, from drones and robots to self-driving cars.

Autonomy Lab recently partnered with the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) government to launch a trial of autonomous shuttle buses on the streets of Canberra. The buses, that are fully electric and may carry as much as 12 passengers, are currently being tested on a 1.2-kilometre route between the National Arboretum and the nearby village of Denman Prospect.

The trial is a big milestone for Canberra because it is the primary time autonomous vehicles have been tested on public roads in town. It is usually an indication of town’s commitment to developing autonomous vehicle technology, with the ACT Government actively promoting the event of the technology as a option to improve transport efficiency and reduce emissions.

But Autonomy Lab and the ACT government usually are not the one players within the autonomous vehicle space in Canberra. Town can also be home to the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), which is Australia’s national science agency.

CSIRO has worked on a lot of autonomous vehicle projects, including developing sensors and systems for self-driving cars. One in all the agency’s most high-profile projects is the Automated Bus Safety System (ABSS), which uses a mix of cameras, sensors and machine learning algorithms to detect potential hazards and warn drivers of autonomous buses.

The ABSS system was recently tested on an autonomous bus in Sydney, and CSIRO is currently working to adapt the technology to be used in other autonomous vehicles, including cars and trucks.

In fact, autonomous vehicle technology continues to be in its early stages and there are numerous challenges to beat before autonomous cars turn into a reality on our roads. But with organisations like Autonomy Lab and CSIRO on the forefront, and the support of the ACT Government, Canberra is well-positioned to be on the forefront of this technological revolution.

As someone who has lived in Canberra for many of my life, I’m excited to see town play such a key role in the event of autonomous vehicle technology. Who knows, possibly someday I will probably be sitting behind a self-driving automotive, watching the world go by with out a care on this planet. And I’ll know that my hometown played a task in making this future a reality.

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