The world’s first driverless Ute will soon hit the road for testing in New South Wales.
The Ford Ranger, now retrofitted with automated driving capabilities, is entering the next trial phase on Dubbo streets.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Paul Toole says regional NSW is leading the way in exploring how automated vehicle technology could deliver a more reliable and accessible public transport offering.
“The Smart Ute uses drive-by-wire technology fitted with radars and cameras to collect data to allow it to drive mapped distances on the road and recognise and respond to a variety of obstacles, including kangaroos,” Toole said.
“This next phase will see the Smart Ute driven by our expert operators to collect data that will be used to assess the vehicle’s ability to carry out automated routes, laying the foundation for introducing the vehicle safely in automated mode by mid-2022.”
The Smart Ute trial has come about thanks to a partnership between Transport for NSW, autonomous vehicle company Conigital, NRMA, Dubbo Bus Lines, Sydney Motorsport Park, mobile app developer Liftango, QBE and Dubbo Regional Council.
