Frequently asked questions

The RAC Intellibus® trial was Australia’s first and longest-running driverless vehicle trial. The trial started in 2016 and ended in June 2023, after nearly seven years on WA’s public roads.

The trial was primarily run along a 3.5km route in South Perth, with chaperones accompanying passengers for every ride to explain how the vehicle safely interacted with traffic, parked cars, cyclists and pedestrians.

The trial also visited Busselton and Geraldton, where more than 3,500 passengers were able to get a first-hand glimpse of the autonomous technology.

The RAC Intellibus® fleet were Level 4 (High Automation) vehicles, which means that all aspects of the driving task are automated in certain environments – including steering, acceleration and braking.

The RAC Intellibus® used several different sensors and telecommunications systems, localise – or to know where it was – and to detect obstacles so that it could react and interact within a dynamic road environment.

Two chaperones were onboard at all times and could take control of the vehicle if necessary.

After almost seven successful years on public roads, we have completed the trials and technology tests we set out to complete.

The trial helped develop our understanding of what is needed to safely transition to AV technology.

We learned about the importance of testing out the technology on public roads, along with the strengths and limitations of the technology including how it integrates with existing infrastructure.

The trial helped us develop a better understanding of what will be required to ensure our legislation can enable safe operation of this technology.
We also developed a better understanding of how the community feels about the technology and their intentions to use it in the future.

After taking a ride on the RAC Intellibus®, 98 per cent of passengers said they could see automated vehicles being used in WA in the future.

At this stage we do not have plans for additional driverless vehicle trials, however we will continue to explore opportunities to help West Australians learn and engage with emerging transport technology.

The RAC Intellibus® trial has helped the public and policy makers learn more about the potential impacts and opportunities of automated vehicle technology, including road safety benefits.

More than 90 per cent of road crashes are caused by human error, so if we can help safely transition to driverless vehicles sooner, hundreds of Australian lives could be saved and thousands of serious injuries prevented.

RAC will continue to strongly engage in this important policy space and encourage governments to prioritise and plan for a driverless future.

The State Government and City of South Perth provided invaluable support to facilitate the trials, including assessing and granting the necessary approvals to operate on public roads.

The RAC Intellibus® trial also received grant funding from the Australian Government from November 2017-June 2019. Such partnerships are vital to deliver successful trials and for moving WA and Australia forward in planning and preparing for a driverless future.

More than 4,000 primary school students 'Imagined the Possibilities’ at the RAC Imagine Program™ which started in 2019, delivered in partnership with the City of South Perth and City of Greater Geraldton during the regional demonstration.

Students were able to participate in several activities to discover past and future technologies – with the Intellibus® the star attraction – whilst learning about the changing nature of transport, mobility and road safety and discussing next steps for a safer, more sustainable and better-connected community.

The Intellibus® was manufactured by French company Navya.

In the years to come, AVs are expected to be safer than conventional vehicles. Human error is the cause around 90 per cent of road deaths and injuries, so if we can help safely transition to driverless vehicles sooner, hundreds of Australian lives could be saved, and thousands of serious injuries prevented.

However, increasing automation does also raise many considerations which need to be explored and managed to safely transition to more widespread operation of AVs on our roads.

Responsibility in the event of a crash involving an AV may be difficult to determine. For all but fully automated vehicles, insurers, law enforcement agencies and individuals will need access to vehicle data to determine whether the human or AV was performing the critical driving tasks (e.g. steering, accelerating, braking) at the time of the crash.

Liability for AV crashes will be complex and there may be times when responsibility overlaps, such as where multiple manufacturers are associated with one vehicle.

The aim of the RAC Intellibus® trial was to improve understanding of AV technology while it remains in the early stages of development, putting Western Australia at the forefront of the emerging technology.