Skip to main content

EastLink receives special commendation from ADVI

One of Australia’s largest tollways, EastLink in Victoria, has received a Special Commendation from the Australia & New Zealand Driverless Vehicle Initiative (ADVI), for the trials of automated vehicle technologies underway on EastLink. The trials are being undertaken by EastLink in partnership with VicRoads, ARRB, La Trobe University and RACV, with the assistance of major vehicle manufacturers, including BMW, Honda, Mercedes, Mitsubishi and Volvo. The most recent technology demonstration involved the new T
July 24, 2017 Read time: 2 mins
One of Australia’s largest tollways, EastLink in Victoria, has received a Special Commendation from the Australia & New Zealand Driverless Vehicle Initiative (ADVI), for the trials of automated vehicle technologies underway on EastLink.


The trials are being undertaken by EastLink in partnership with 4728 VicRoads, ARRB, La Trobe University and RACV, with the assistance of major vehicle manufacturers, including BMW, Honda, Mercedes, Mitsubishi and Volvo. The most recent technology demonstration involved the new 8534 Tesla Model X. Additional manufacturers will shortly be providing vehicles to assist the program.

With hands-free driving on freeways expected within the next few years, subject to legislative changes, the trials represent the only program in Australia that is producing real results for freeway operators and vehicle manufacturers to facilitate the safe and early introduction of this capability on EastLink and other Victorian freeways.

The trials have already assisted vehicle manufacturers and freeway operators by identifying opportunities to improve the compatibility between vehicles’ new technologies and some of the infrastructure on EastLink and other freeways. The vehicle manufacturers and freeway operators are now able to work on taking advantage of these opportunities, which will further improve vehicles’ Level.2 performance on EastLink and Victorian freeways, and pave the way for the safe introduction of Level.3 capability (descriptions of these levels are included later in this release).

Testing of vehicle connectivity (5.9 GHz and Cellular) is also included within the EastLink trials program, including both V2V (vehicle to vehicle) and V2I (vehicle to infrastructure) connectivity. Initial testing has been focused on verifying the compatibility of connected vehicle communications (5.9 GHz) with the existing DSRC tag to tolling point communications (5.8 GHz), prior to conducting on-road trials of different message types.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Self-driving cars ‘a US$87 billion opportunity in 2030’
    May 22, 2014
    The latest research from Lux Research indicates that automakers and technology developers are closer than ever to bringing self-driving cars to market, with basic Level 2 autonomous behaviour already coming to market, in the form of relatively modest self-driving features like adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, and collision avoidance braking. With these initial steps, automakers are already on the road to some level of autonomy, but costs remain high in many cases. It is the higher levels
  • Mobile payment technologies for Australia
    October 11, 2016
    Contactless technology, the ability to tap your bank issued card or enabled mobile device to make a payment, has brought speed and simplicity to the in-store shopping experience. Doug Howe explains how innovations, like Contactless, in the mobile and banking industries have the potential to transform public transportation. Q Why is public transportation ripe for transformation? A Today, more than half the world’s population lives in cities; that’s a figure set to increase to 70% by 2050. International
  • Measuring alertness to avert drowsy driver incidents
    December 21, 2015
    Falling asleep at the wheel is the primary cause in thousands of deaths on American and other roads, with truck drivers the most at-risk group. David Crawford investigates measures to counter drowsy driving.
  • Australian tolling industry debates tag replacement
    June 11, 2014
    Australia’s 2014 National Electronic Tolling Conference (NeTC) inspired lively debate among the 130 delegates about tackling the need to replace seven-plus million tolling tags that are reaching the end of their life. In his opening address, Australian Toll Road Users’ Group Chair Rex Wright said the industry was potentially facing a US$94 million bill over the next five years to replace old tags. As Australian tolling authorities operate a harmonious national tag system, all toll operators are committed