Skip to main content

South Australian government announces first round of autonomous technology funding

Seven projects will share in US$4.2 million (AU$5.6 million) from the first round of funding from the South Australian government’s Future Mobility Lab Fund to drive local development of autonomous vehicle technology. Autonomous cargo pods for the Tonsley Innovation Precinct and driverless shuttles for Flinders University students are also among the projects to win funding, with other projects to be announced soon. Transfers between Adelaide Airport’s terminal and long-term car park are set to go driv
March 24, 2017 Read time: 2 mins
Seven projects will share in US$4.2 million (AU$5.6 million) from the first round of funding from the South Australian government’s Future Mobility Lab Fund to drive local development of autonomous vehicle technology.

Autonomous cargo pods for the Tonsley Innovation Precinct and driverless shuttles for Flinders University students are also among the projects to win funding, with other projects to be announced soon.

Transfers between Adelaide Airport’s terminal and long-term car park are set to go driverless with the US$2.1million (AU$2.8 million) trial of a driverless shuttle. Adelaide Airport will receive US$762,000 (AU$1 million) from the fund to trial three electric driverless shuttles operating between the long-term car park and the terminal. If the trial is successful, the driverless shuttles will be become a permanent part of its operations.

International driverless car supplier RDM Group will also receive US$762,000 (AU$1 million) towards a driverless cargo pod trial, transporting goods at the city’s Tonsley precinct, with the aim of developing a market-ready autonomous delivery pod within a year. The project will involve pods similar to the Pod Zero launched in 2016, which will be modified to carry global standard air freight containers. The UK-based company opened its Asia-Pacific headquarters at the Tonsley Business Precinct in January.

Another US$762,000 (AU$1 million) will go to Flinders University, which will collaborate with the RAA on a three-year driverless shuttle project. Initially the vehicle will shuttle students around the Tonsley campus, with future plans to extend to the Bedford Park campus and local public transport hubs.

Related Content

  • Electreon completes first US dynamic charging project
    December 8, 2023
    Testing of inductive charging technology along the Detroit road will start next year
  • Local Motors trials autonomous shuttle in California
    August 28, 2019
    Local Motors is trialling a free autonomous shuttle called Olli at a business park of 1,600 employees in the city of Rancho Cordova, California. During the three-month trial at the White Rock Corporate Campus, data will be gathered via rider surveys to understand the public’s sentiment around autonomous shuttles and their potential for easing congestion. The project is funded by a $90,000 grant from the Sacramento Area Council of Governments and a further $10,000 from the city Olli is available to camp
  • Regulation time-lag will hit driverless technology hard says leading consultancy BDO
    August 8, 2018
    The legislation surrounding driverless cars is lagging so far behind the technology involved that the industry is unlikely to see a regulatory framework in place any time soon says leading international business, finance and taxation consultancy BDO. And IEEE, "the world’s largest technical professional organisation dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity" can only see problems ahead as the politicians fall further and further behind. BDO has been looking at a report from www.Spectr
  • Autotalks extends funding round with additional investors
    June 27, 2017
    Israeli Vehicle to Everything (V2X) communication chipsets supplier Autotalks has extended its recent funding round as a result of increased investment from the Mirai Creation Investment Fund, of which the principal investors are Toyota Motor Corporation and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation and is managed by SPARX Group.