Vehicles with varying levels of automation are currently being introduced into Australia. The safety and other implications for motorcyclists are little understood.

Priority: – High

Where we are now: –

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) are devices developed to automate vehicle systems for safety and a better driving experience. ADASs include Adaptive Cruise Control, Automatic Parking, Blind Spot Monitoring, Forward Collision Warning, Lane Departure Warning and Autonomous Emergency Braking.

Among the anticipated benefits of automated vehicles is the potential reduction in crashes caused by human driver errors such as delayed reaction time and distraction. This reduction in crashes will result in fewer fatalities and injuries.

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems will form the basis of automated/autonomous vehicles.

Australia’s transport ministers have agreed to take a uniform legal approach across states and territories to vehicles equipped with automated driving systems. End-to-end regulation to deal with automated vehicles has been agreed to such that a system of mandatory self certification by the Automated Driving System Entity (ADSE) will be used to determine if a vehicle is safe to be introduced into Australia.

It has also been agreed that Compulsory Third Party compensation received as a result of a crash with an automated vehicle will be the same as that received in crash with a vehicle controlled by a human.

Where we want to be: –

There should be no reduction in motorcycle safety as a result of the introduction of automated vehicles.

Systems need to be able to detect motorcycles just as well as other vehicles.

Test procedures for how well systems detect motorcycles need to be further developed so they are suitable for use in the mandatory self-certification process.

How to get there: –

 The AMC works with government, industry and relevant committees to raise awareness of issues affecting motorcyclists as the result of the introduction of automated/autonomous vehicles.