The current fascination with autonomous vehicles and their future application has led to the introduction of a new national industry award.
ITS Australia has introduced a new category for its 2016 National Awards specifically to recognise Australian organisations researching, testing and developing autonomous vehicles.
The Autonomous Vehicle Award, sponsored by ADVI (The Australian Driverless Vehicle Initiative) will be announced at the ITS Australia National Awards, 14 October, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
ADVI members, which include ITS Australia, raise awareness of autonomous and driverless vehicles by exploring the impacts and requirements of this new technology in an Australian context and making recommendations on ways to safely and successfully bring self-driving vehicles to Australian roads.
ADVI spokesman Gerard Waldron said the new award is open to Australian businesses which contribute to the autonomous vehicle industry.
“We are excited to sponsor the new Autonomous Vehicle Award and invite nominations from Australian organisations and businesses.
“The Award will recognise excellence in an organisation that has initiated, developed and/or delivered over the previous year a new and innovative piece of research, product, program, service, legislation, business model or other innovation or achievement that has, or will, play a key role in accelerating the safe and successful introduction of driverless vehicles on Australian roads.
“Great progress has been made in Australia in this sector, with a number of significant achievements, innovations and contributions to society and the economy,” Mr Waldron said.
Australia is fast becoming a thriving hub of activity in the world of vehicle automation. In the last 12 months there’s been on-road testing of automated passenger vehicles, the first of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere. This is in addition to progressive legislative changes, strong federal and state government engagement, as well as vibrant research, engineering and manufacturing ecosystems to drive innovations towards an autonomous future in Australia.
The new Award comes at a time when the global ITS industry heads to Melbourne for the 23rd World Congress on Intelligent Transport Systems, 10-14 October.
The ITS Australia National Awards will be held on the final day of the World Congress, after 7000 Australian and international delegates have experienced more than 900 Keynote, Executive and Special Interest sessions, exhibitions, tours and demonstrations.
“Our National Awards are a fantastic platform to highlight and celebrate technology innovations coming out of the Australian market. The Autonomous Vehicle Award, sponsored by ADVI, is a good fit with our established program of Government, Industry, Young Professional and Research Awards,” ITS Australia CEO Susan Harris said.
“We welcome ADVI to our annual event and look forward to recognising the autonomous vehicle sector as part of the National Awards and 2016 ITS World Congress,” Ms Harris said.
Submissions for the Autonomous Vehicle Award close August 1 2016. Register your interest at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Further information:
Susan Harris
Chief Executive Officer
+61 (0)408 794 532
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Felicity Robertson
Media Advisor
+61 3 9426 5388
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