Why Australia is preparing for driverless cars

It depends who you ask. Some folk will tell you that one day we will drive flying cars, some say we will be using jetpacks. Some say we will travel in tubes like in The Jetsons, some say we will all be driven by autonomous vehicles.

No one knows exactly what the future will bring. But that doesn’t mean you can’t prepare for it. That’s why since 2015, Suncorp Insurance has been working with the Australia and New Zealand Driverless Vehicle Initiative (ADVI) to plan a better future for Australia’s roads with the technology of tomorrow.

Who is ADVI?

Created in 2015, ADVI is the peak advisory body for the network of automated vehicle activities across Australia and New Zealand, with the primary aim to accelerate the safe and successful introduction of driverless vehicles to Australia.

You may have heard about ADVI when they made history in 2015 by co-ordinating an on-road driverless car demonstration in Adelaide – the first trial of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere.

ADVI is supported by over 100 partners from across the automotive, insurance, transport, motoring sectors, as well as local, state and federal governments.

What does ADVI do?

The era of autonomous vehicles is coming, it may not be tomorrow, or the day after, but it is coming – which means Australia has to start getting ready. Now.

Think of a world where only driverless vehicles use the roads: would we still need traffic lights? Would ambulances be driverless? Would police ever need to pursue anyone ever again?

These are the kinds of questions ADVI are trying to find answers for.

Much of the work of ADVI is also focused on the enabling technology that is coming to our roads now - everything from connected vehicles, data, cyber security and Advance Driver Aid Systems (ADAS).

How does this affect you?

All of this talk about autonomous vehicles, vehicle automation and advanced driving systems may sound like some kind of fantasy science fiction, but it is real, and it is going to change your life.

This technology isn’t only a new whizz-bang feature used for marketing. This technology has the potential to ease congestion, make our roads safer, and save lives. It’s just a matter of time, and effort.

So where does Suncorp Insurance come in?

Suncorp Insurance was awarded ADVI’s 2018 Queensland Driverless Vehicle Innovation Award at the ARRB (Australian Roads Research Board) Gala in recognition of their efforts, thought leadership and contribution to ADVI.

Suncorp Insurance is helping ADVI plan for the future of driverless vehicles on Australian roads.