Level 5 autonomy is coming but not as we know it, says crash safety body.
‘The Jetsons’ age is coming to our roads, but perhaps not as we know it.
The country’s peak road crash safety body has watered down talk of Level 5 ‘driverless’ cars ever dominating Australian cities, towns and highways, saying the technology simply isn’t conducive to Australian life or infrastructure.
“I like to say that the car of the future is probably going to look very much like the car you’re driving today, but the technology it’s going to have inside it is going to look very different,” said Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) chief James Goodwin.
“It will be able to drive for you, at least some of the way and on some of the journeys. We know that there’s some major change and the technology is in its very early stage.
“I never refer to these machines as driverless cars, because I don’t think we’re really going to get to that point in Australia.”
Goodwin isn’t averse to Level 5 autonomy ever reaching Aussie roads, and he believes there will be applications where the technology has merit.
But unlike much of the prophesising on the subject – including from car-makers – Goodwin says drivers will always ultimately need to have control when needed, much like an airline pilot.
“We may have some driverless shuttle buses that will operate in a controlled environment, but the car we’re used to now will continue but will have some levels of automation,” Goodwin said.
In fact, ANCAP is now considered a key conduit in the rollout of autonomous technology on Aussie roads.
Having lagged behind Europe and the US on its take-up, the safety body will later this year commence independent testing on the effectiveness of autonomous systems in new vehicles.
“We know that could improve the road toll and the number of crashes occurring on the road. It’s widely said that more than 90 per cent of crashes involve some form of human error and it could actually be higher,” Goodwin said.
“People refer to five levels of automation, with level five being that driverless, pod-type vehicle. ANCAP started in 2018 testing to Level 2 automation: lane support systems, autonomous emergency braking, speed and traffic sign recognition.
“That’s really the area that we’re concentrating on at the moment; it’s good technology and it’s going to help people drive and make them be better drivers.
“We know the technologies are in their early stages. We’re trying to provide consumers with the confidence that this technology works and we will do that through our testing, and educate people into thinking that this something that they should want and should adapt into their next car.
“We will be testing the technologies and we will be rewarding them on their effectiveness.”
Then there’s the subject of red tape. Goodwin said there were currently 700 pieces of legislation preventing driverless cars in Australia.
“Hopefully with our own testing and with consumers carrying confidence in our testing, the regulators will adopt a hands-off approach, and realise that they don’t need to overly regulate this,” he said.
“The National Transport Commission has been tasked with regulating this and getting the country ready, but they’re talking about 2020 before they’ll even be ready for this technology.
“We’ve got these sorts of cars and this technology here right now. ANCAP is here to start the conversation and the testing process.”
Goodwin envisioned autonomous technology playing a strong role on our roads in the future. For that to happen, he believes we could borrow thinking from other industries including aviation.
“Even if the aircraft is on autopilot, the captain is still in control. That’s really the model that we have to look for,” he said.
“Trying to get an autonomous vehicle to navigate down Lygon St in Melbourne or Norton St in Sydney is almost impossible at the moment, but they can usually handle the highways very well, where the roads are good, the traffic is going in the same direction and there aren’t too many incursions.
“It might be that, to get us used to this autonomous technology, we almost have to start designating roads where you can be hands-off.
“On the highway you can be hands-off, but when you approach the city you need to go hands back on. That’s the way that I think is a good interim or transition to get people used to that technology, along with the cars.
“I believe this full driverless Level 5 is not likely to occur in Australia for personal car owners, like we’re used to now.
“I can see we’ll have Level 5 automation for shuttles around airports and university campuses, but not necessarily having a pod come collect you at the front of your house to collect you and take you where you’re going.”
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