Ipswich travellers have had a taste of futuristic transport with the trial of a driverless bus in Springfield.
The autonomous electric shuttle can accommodate 12 passengers, is fully air-conditioned and is controlled using sensors, lasers and cameras.
Capable of speeds up to 45km/hr, the Easy Mile EZ10 shuttle bus took a more relaxed route from Robelle Orion Lagoon to USQ Springfield campus at 7km/hr.
The trial is part of transport company Transdev’s “driverless roadtrip” across Australia and New Zealand, where capital and regional cities can ride the Easy Mile EZ10 bus for free.
Mayor Andrew Antoniolli believes this type of technology is a “game breaker” for public transport.
“It’s a very smooth ride and I guess for most people, they’re going to wonder whether they can trust this technology,” Cr Antoniolli said.
“Anyone who has a ride in the Easy Mile will see for themselves that it is a trustworthy, smart and safe way of being transported.”
Although Ipswich will only have a taste of autonomous transport for six days, Mayor Antoniolli believes Ipswich could permanently adapt this type of technology.
“This is cost effective, this is affordable and it’s available now… it could reduce the cost of transport by transporting people from one city to the next,” he said.
“Using this technology, we can move people between Ripley and Redbank Plains to the Springfield Railway Line using these types of vehicles and it would be an affordable alternative until such time when the railway line is extended.
“With the way technology is moving, I reckon we can see this technology right across South East Queensland within ten years.”
Adwait Kale, Business Transformation Manager at Transdev said the sensor technology meant the autonomous vehicle had better perception than the average driver.
“Any pedestrian walking or any bicycles going through, it can detect them and stop the vehicle,” Mr Kale said.
“The ranges for these sensors, the one at the top is 200 metres and the one on the bottom is 50 metres. The bottom one goes at a 270 degree angle, which means it basically creates a virtual plane – anything that comes in, it knows it’s an obstacle and it will start de-acclerating itself.”
Mr Kale said with three sets of different levels of braking systems, the technology is “absolutely fail safe” in the event of emergency braking.
“Even if we lose power from the computer, you have PLT technology which helps us stop the vehicle,” he said.
Without air conditioning, the bus can remain charged for up to fourteen hours but with dual air condition on, it will run up to eight hours.
Ipswich residents will join 200,000 commuters who have already trialled the Easy Mile EZ10 bus across Europe, Asia and Australia.
The trial of the autonomous electric shuttle bus in Ipswich will finish on Saturday, March 3rd.
Future public demonstrations are planned for Sydney, Melbourne, Auckland and Wellington.