Eastlink trials of automated vehicle technologies ‘have delivered real results’

Trials in Australia to determine the compatibility of the latest automated vehicle technologies with EastLink have been steadily progressing throughout this year. The trials are being undertaken by EastLink in partnership with VicRoads, the Australian Road Research Board (ARRB), La Trobe University and RACV, with the assistance of major vehicle manufacturers. With autonomous driving on EastLink and other suitable freeways expected within the next few years (subject to legislative changes), Eastlink says the
August 23, 2017 Read time: 2 mins

Trials in Australia to determine the compatibility of the latest automated vehicle technologies with EastLink have been steadily progressing throughout this year.

The trials are being undertaken by EastLink in partnership with 4728 VicRoads, the Australian Road Research Board (ARRB), La Trobe University and RACV, with the assistance of major vehicle manufacturers.

With autonomous driving on EastLink and other suitable freeways expected within the next few years (subject to legislative changes), Eastlink says the trials have produced real results for freeway operators and vehicle manufacturers to facilitate the safe and early introduction of this capability on EastLink and other Victorian freeways.

EastLink trials have already been conducted with the latest Level.2 vehicles provided by the widest range of manufacturers for a trials program of this type, including 1731 BMW, 1683 Honda, 1844 Mazda, 1685 Mercedes, 4962 Mitsubishi and 609 Volvo. The most recent technology demonstration to be completed involved a vehicle provided by 8534 Tesla. This week, a vehicle provided by 4349 Lexus has commenced trials on EastLink. In addition, 2125 Audi and 1686 Toyota will soon be providing vehicles to assist with the trials program.

Vehicle manufacturers and freeway operators are now able to work on taking advantage of these opportunities to further improve the performance of the latest Level.2 automated vehicle technologies, which will pave the way for Level.3 hands-off-the-wheel driving on EastLink and other suitable freeways, subject to legislative changes.

With Level 3 autonomous driving on the way, Eastlink envisages that freeway operators will need to communicate directly to autonomous vehicles, for example to communicate a change in conditions or operating environment (e.g. emergency incident, congestion event, or lane/tunnel/bridge/freeway closure).

As part of the trials, connected vehicle transceivers are now being installed at three of EastLink’s tolling gantries, to create a section of road enabled for vehicle to vehicle and vehicle to infrastructure communications.

Initial testing has been focused on verifying the compatibility of connected vehicle communications (5.9 GHz) with the existing DSRC tolling tag communications (5.8 GHz).

The trials program will next conduct on-road tests of different message types using suitably equipped connected vehicles.

Location Based Systems

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Zenuity gets green light to trial self-driving cars on Swedish highways
    January 30, 2019
    Zenuity, a joint venture between vehicle solution manufacturer Veoneer and Volvo Cars, is to trial self-driving cars on Swedish highways at a maximum speed of 80km/h. Dennis Nobelius, CEO at Zenuity, says the vehicles will collect important data and improve the company’s safety functions to make unsupervised cars a reality. Transportstyrelsen, the Swedish transport agency, has approved the trials which will take place on the E4 between Stockholm and Malmö; Road 40 between Jönköping and Gothenburg; a
    Read More
  • Drivers connected as never before
    May 2, 2014
    Australia’s New South Wales Centre for Road Safety is to embark on a trial that will allow trucks to transmit and receive warnings about road hazards. The Cooperative Intelligent Transport Initiative (CITI) project will trial Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems (CITS) technology along a 42 kilometre major transport link in the Wollongong region. Historically, most crashes along this route involve heavy vehicles, so the first phase of the five-year trial will include 30 heavy vehicles fitted with CI
    Read More
  • Mitsubishi RFID based ETC system begins operation in India
    December 4, 2013
    India's Gujarat state has begun commercial operation of a radio frequency identification (RFID) electronic toll collection (ETC) system supplied by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI). The system, the country's first fully access-controlled expressway, uses RFID readers installed at toll plazas to detect in-vehicle RFID tags and collect tolls. The 59-lane toll system has six toll plazas; 28 lanes are equipped with the new system, which officials hope will contribute to easing traffic congestion and preserv
    Read More
  • Schneider to implement free-flow tolling solution in Brazil
    March 6, 2013
    Schneider Electric is to implement what is said to be one of Brazil’s first three Multi-Lane Free-Flow (MLFF) systems for highway concession company Renovias, enabling the concessionaire to carry out electronic toll collection without the need for toll collectors or requiring vehicles to stop. Schneider says this will improve drivers’ experience when travelling through the toll stations, while being able to travel at a constant speed will reduce waiting times, traffic jams and emissions. The project inclu
    Read More

Highlighted Content