What it's like to be in a driverless car
Australian drivers could be sharing the roads with driverless cars by the end of the decade with automated driving trials already underway across the country.
In the United States and China, thousands of robotaxis are already servicing major cities.
But despite the rapid expansion, global research shows consumer hesitancy toward the technology is growing.
A recent survey showed around 66 per cent of people said they were 'afraid' of automated vehicles, up from 54 per cent in 2021.
Studies have shown that seeing and riding in autonomous vehicles (AVs) can reduce that fear, as has been the case in the US where more than 250,000 trips are taken in the Waymo robotaxi fleet each week in Texas, California and Arizona.
The technology has been so popular that the fleet of driverless Jaguar sedans are also being rolled out in Atlanta, Miami, Washington DC and overseas to Japan.
Waymo claims its driverless fleet is safer than manned vehicles, publishing data that showed its cars had 81 per cent fewer injury crashes than human drivers and 83 per cent less airbag deployment crashes.
However the technology is not infallible.
Recently 1200 vehicles in the Waymo fleet were recalled due to a series of low speed collisions with gates and chains.
Research by Australia's National Transport Commission found that perceptions of safety were closely linked to the implementation of strong laws and regulations around the technology.
And work is already well underway to develop a national AV law that has enough flexibility to keep up with the changing technology.
'The National Transport Commission in partnership with the Australian Government is working on the raft of things that need to change for AVs to run safely on our roads – from who's in control of a vehicle when there's no human driver to how insurance will work and rules around maintenance,' a NTC spokesman said.
They said the biggest challenge Australia had in attracting the technology was in creating a national market with economies of scale attractive enough for manufacturers.
'It underpins the work underway to develop a national Automated Vehicle Safety Law and the National Transport Commission's work to even out the difference in hundreds of state and territory road rules, laws and regulations,' the spokesman said.
'Without this national approach, Australia will lag behind.
'We got a clear message from industry that regulations that set the ground rules for AVs will underpin any decision they make to bring AVs to Australia.'
It's forecast that by 2030, up to 10 per cent of new vehicles will be equipped with automated features. MY EXPERIENCE INSIDE A DRIVERLESS CAR
I'm five minutes into my first experience in a driverless car when I spot the elderly woman making a beeline toward the tree-lined street, her arms laden with grocery bags.
As we hurtle closer at what feels like 100km/h but is probably only 30km/h, the car still hasn't anticipated the potential collision and I instinctively begin tapping my foot on the floor of the back passenger seat looking for the brake pedal.
But I needn't have worried.
As the woman gets closer, the car slowly rolls to a smooth stop and the unwitting pedestrian crosses safely to the other side before we're off again.
An army of Waymo's fully autonomous taxis are sprouting up across the United States, including in California, Austin and Phoenix with plans to expand to Atlanta, Miami and Washington DC soon.
In Los Angeles, the white Jaguar sedans covered in cameras are everywhere and during a recent trip, I'm curious to find out what all the fuss is about.
The process to book a car is as simple as calling an Uber. I download the Waymo app, give it my pick-up and drop off locations and a car is quickly on the way.
As I wait, the photographer I'd been on assignment that day with begins regaling me with Waymo horror stories – 'did you hear about the guy who got locked in one that drove around in circles for so long that he missed his flight,' he tells me.
With that story fresh in my mind, my car pulls to the kerb in Santa Monica and the journey begins.
To get inside the car, you need to unlock the doors through the Waymo app – a safety mechanism to make sure just anyone doesn't jump inside as the car travels across the city.
Once inside you're given a welcome safety message before the car hits the road to you destination.
The first couple of minutes are a little unnerving watching the steering wheel move on its own as if I've landed in a Harry Potter book but I soon get used to the unusual sight.
Twice the car stops for pedestrians who cross in front of us in suburban streets.
There's one hair raising moment when the brakes slam on for seemingly no reason – the best I can tell is that it detected movement from the car in the next lane and adjusted in anticipation of it merging.
During the ride, you can adjust the music and temperature to your preferences.
And the best part of all – absolutely no small talk.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
West Australian
2 hours ago
- West Australian
Anthony Albanese says Labor will fight ‘frustration' in government and deliver on election promises, in National Press Club address
Anthony Albanese will use his first major speech since winning a second term to promise to fight against growing cynicism and 'frustration' in government. The Prime Minister will put forward his second-term agenda in an address to the National Press Club in Canberra on Tuesday, vowing to 'make a real difference to people's lives'. That includes delivering on Labor's policies to boost bulk-billed GP appointments, decrease student debt and other cost-of-living measures. While he will acknowledge the 'significant global uncertainty' and 'economic instability' currently underpinning the world, he says Labor will be a 'practical and positive alternative' and delivers on its 'vision for a stronger, fairer Australia'. 'It is the more corrosive proposition that politics and government and democratic institutions, including a free media, are incapable of meeting the demands of this moment,' he is expected to say. 'Our responsibility is to disprove it. 'To recognise that some of this frustration is drawn from people's real experience with government – be it failures of service delivery, or falling through the cracks of a particular system. 'To counter this, we have to offer the practical and positive alternative.' Mr Albanese's comments on a volatile international environment comes as he is expected to have his first face-to-face meeting with US President Donald Trump when he travels to Canada for the G7 Leader's Summit over the weekend. Labor faces a heavy policy agenda when parliament finally sits on July 22 for the first time since the May 3 election, with Mr Albanese promising to legislate a 20 per cent discount of student debts as its first priority. Mr Albanese will also highlight Labor's election vow to ensure 90 per cent of GP visits are bulk-billed by 2030, progress on reaching net zero emissions by 2050, and its continued target to build 1.2 million new homes through the Housing Accords as other key areas for 'delivery' in Labor's second term. 'Our second term agenda has been shaped by the lives and priorities of the Australian people. And it is built on Australian values,' he will say. 'It is the mission and the measure of a Labor government to give those enduring ideals of fairness, aspiration and opportunity renewed and deeper meaning, for more Australians. 'To deliver reforms that hold no-one back – and drive progress that leaves no-one behind.' The government will also expand its First Home Guarantee scheme to all first home buyers, regardless of income caps, which allow them to purchase an eligible property with a 5 per cent deposit, while also avoiding lender's mortgage insurance. Labor has also committed to investing $10bn to build 100,000 new homes which will be earmarked for firsthome buyers. Since Labor's election landslide on May 3, it has faced attacks on its plan to bring in a 30 per cent tax on superannuation balances over $3m. While the Greens have already flagged it will work with Labor to most likely pass the tax in the Senate, the Coalition have criticised the policy as a 'grab for revenue'. However Jim Chalmers has rebuked changes to the tax, calling the changes 'modest' and 'methodical,' which will make a 'meaningful difference to the budget'.
Perth Now
2 hours ago
- Perth Now
Albo's vow to Aussies after landslide win
Anthony Albanese will use his first major speech since winning a second term to promise to fight against growing cynicism and 'frustration' in government. The Prime Minister will put forward his second-term agenda in an address to the National Press Club in Canberra on Tuesday, vowing to 'make a real difference to people's lives'. That includes delivering on Labor's policies to boost bulk-billed GP appointments, decrease student debt and other cost-of-living measures. While he will acknowledge the 'significant global uncertainty' and 'economic instability' currently underpinning the world, he says Labor will be a 'practical and positive alternative' and delivers on its 'vision for a stronger, fairer Australia'. 'It is the more corrosive proposition that politics and government and democratic institutions, including a free media, are incapable of meeting the demands of this moment,' he is expected to say. 'Our responsibility is to disprove it. 'To recognise that some of this frustration is drawn from people's real experience with government – be it failures of service delivery, or falling through the cracks of a particular system. 'To counter this, we have to offer the practical and positive alternative.' Anthony Albanese will outline his vision for his second-term government at the National Press Club on Tuesday. NewsWire/ Martin Ollman Credit: News Corp Australia Mr Albanese's comments on a volatile international environment comes as he is expected to have his first face-to-face meeting with US President Donald Trump when he travels to Canada for the G7 Leader's Summit over the weekend. Labor faces a heavy policy agenda when parliament finally sits on July 22 for the first time since the May 3 election, with Mr Albanese promising to legislate a 20 per cent discount of student debts as its first priority. Mr Albanese will also highlight Labor's election vow to ensure 90 per cent of GP visits are bulk-billed by 2030, progress on reaching net zero emissions by 2050, and its continued target to build 1.2 million new homes through the Housing Accords as other key areas for 'delivery' in Labor's second term. 'Our second term agenda has been shaped by the lives and priorities of the Australian people. And it is built on Australian values,' he will say. 'It is the mission and the measure of a Labor government to give those enduring ideals of fairness, aspiration and opportunity renewed and deeper meaning, for more Australians. 'To deliver reforms that hold no-one back – and drive progress that leaves no-one behind.' The May 3 federal election delivered a thumbing win to Mr Albanese, with Labor securing a significant majority of 94 seats. Jason Edwards/ NewsWire Credit: News Corp Australia The government will also expand its First Home Guarantee scheme to all first home buyers, regardless of income caps, which allow them to purchase an eligible property with a 5 per cent deposit, while also avoiding lender's mortgage insurance. Labor has also committed to investing $10bn to build 100,000 new homes which will be earmarked for firsthome buyers. Since Labor's election landslide on May 3, it has faced attacks on its plan to bring in a 30 per cent tax on superannuation balances over $3m. While the Greens have already flagged it will work with Labor to most likely pass the tax in the Senate, the Coalition have criticised the policy as a 'grab for revenue'. However Jim Chalmers has rebuked changes to the tax, calling the changes 'modest' and 'methodical,' which will make a 'meaningful difference to the budget'.
The Advertiser
2 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Aussies urged to charge ahead with household batteries
Australia could slash $4 billion a year off power bills by the end of the decade if households embrace solar batteries in larger numbers, a report forecasts. The Climate Council issued the prediction on Tuesday, finding the savings were possible if half of all homes with solar panels installed added batteries by 2030. But progress could also get a bigger boost from allowing more electric vehicles to charge up the national grid, if solar battery prices continued to fall, and if all new households were designed for rooftop solar and battery systems, it found. The report comes amid heightened demand for home batteries after the announcement of a $2.3 billion federal government scheme to subsidise their purchase by 30 per cent from July. The Climate Council report, called Battery Boom, found about 300,000 (eight per cent) of the four million Australian households with solar panels used batteries to store energy. If that figure was lifted to reach two million homes by 2030 - half of those with rooftop solar panels currently installed - household energy bill savings could hit $4 billion a year. Electricity bill savings could rise from $1500 with solar panels to $2300 a year after installing a battery, Climate Council spokesman Greg Bourne said, although further support would be needed to help some families deal with the up-front cost. "Batteries haven't penetrated far enough into those four million (solar) households, but it makes a huge difference when you start picking up the sunshine from midday and time-shifting it to when high cost of electricity comes in," he told AAP. "It will start as word-of-mouth in the neighbourhood and talk of 'my bill's half of what it was' or 'my bills are a quarter of what they were because we put a battery in' and that's part of the education process." A typical household battery is expected to cover its cost within 8.3 years without the upcoming subsidy, the report found, down from 10 years in 2022. The Climate Council report also found big battery storage projects planned for Australia had doubled over the past year to reach 20 gigawatts, and the price of large energy storage had fallen by 20 per cent. On a state-by-state basis, Western Australia led the nation for the most big battery projects with eight installed, Victoria boasted the most community solar batteries, and the Northern Territory had the most homes with solar batteries installed at 15.9 per cent. Battery storage could also get a significant boost from compatible electric vehicles, Mr Bourne said, as more vehicle-to-grid chargers were standardised and sold in Australia. Other recommendations in the report to boost battery storage included adding rooftop solar and storage capacity to the National Construction Code, expanding support for community batteries, and strengthening on-shore battery recycling schemes. Australia could slash $4 billion a year off power bills by the end of the decade if households embrace solar batteries in larger numbers, a report forecasts. The Climate Council issued the prediction on Tuesday, finding the savings were possible if half of all homes with solar panels installed added batteries by 2030. But progress could also get a bigger boost from allowing more electric vehicles to charge up the national grid, if solar battery prices continued to fall, and if all new households were designed for rooftop solar and battery systems, it found. The report comes amid heightened demand for home batteries after the announcement of a $2.3 billion federal government scheme to subsidise their purchase by 30 per cent from July. The Climate Council report, called Battery Boom, found about 300,000 (eight per cent) of the four million Australian households with solar panels used batteries to store energy. If that figure was lifted to reach two million homes by 2030 - half of those with rooftop solar panels currently installed - household energy bill savings could hit $4 billion a year. Electricity bill savings could rise from $1500 with solar panels to $2300 a year after installing a battery, Climate Council spokesman Greg Bourne said, although further support would be needed to help some families deal with the up-front cost. "Batteries haven't penetrated far enough into those four million (solar) households, but it makes a huge difference when you start picking up the sunshine from midday and time-shifting it to when high cost of electricity comes in," he told AAP. "It will start as word-of-mouth in the neighbourhood and talk of 'my bill's half of what it was' or 'my bills are a quarter of what they were because we put a battery in' and that's part of the education process." A typical household battery is expected to cover its cost within 8.3 years without the upcoming subsidy, the report found, down from 10 years in 2022. The Climate Council report also found big battery storage projects planned for Australia had doubled over the past year to reach 20 gigawatts, and the price of large energy storage had fallen by 20 per cent. On a state-by-state basis, Western Australia led the nation for the most big battery projects with eight installed, Victoria boasted the most community solar batteries, and the Northern Territory had the most homes with solar batteries installed at 15.9 per cent. Battery storage could also get a significant boost from compatible electric vehicles, Mr Bourne said, as more vehicle-to-grid chargers were standardised and sold in Australia. Other recommendations in the report to boost battery storage included adding rooftop solar and storage capacity to the National Construction Code, expanding support for community batteries, and strengthening on-shore battery recycling schemes. Australia could slash $4 billion a year off power bills by the end of the decade if households embrace solar batteries in larger numbers, a report forecasts. The Climate Council issued the prediction on Tuesday, finding the savings were possible if half of all homes with solar panels installed added batteries by 2030. But progress could also get a bigger boost from allowing more electric vehicles to charge up the national grid, if solar battery prices continued to fall, and if all new households were designed for rooftop solar and battery systems, it found. The report comes amid heightened demand for home batteries after the announcement of a $2.3 billion federal government scheme to subsidise their purchase by 30 per cent from July. The Climate Council report, called Battery Boom, found about 300,000 (eight per cent) of the four million Australian households with solar panels used batteries to store energy. If that figure was lifted to reach two million homes by 2030 - half of those with rooftop solar panels currently installed - household energy bill savings could hit $4 billion a year. Electricity bill savings could rise from $1500 with solar panels to $2300 a year after installing a battery, Climate Council spokesman Greg Bourne said, although further support would be needed to help some families deal with the up-front cost. "Batteries haven't penetrated far enough into those four million (solar) households, but it makes a huge difference when you start picking up the sunshine from midday and time-shifting it to when high cost of electricity comes in," he told AAP. "It will start as word-of-mouth in the neighbourhood and talk of 'my bill's half of what it was' or 'my bills are a quarter of what they were because we put a battery in' and that's part of the education process." A typical household battery is expected to cover its cost within 8.3 years without the upcoming subsidy, the report found, down from 10 years in 2022. The Climate Council report also found big battery storage projects planned for Australia had doubled over the past year to reach 20 gigawatts, and the price of large energy storage had fallen by 20 per cent. On a state-by-state basis, Western Australia led the nation for the most big battery projects with eight installed, Victoria boasted the most community solar batteries, and the Northern Territory had the most homes with solar batteries installed at 15.9 per cent. Battery storage could also get a significant boost from compatible electric vehicles, Mr Bourne said, as more vehicle-to-grid chargers were standardised and sold in Australia. Other recommendations in the report to boost battery storage included adding rooftop solar and storage capacity to the National Construction Code, expanding support for community batteries, and strengthening on-shore battery recycling schemes. Australia could slash $4 billion a year off power bills by the end of the decade if households embrace solar batteries in larger numbers, a report forecasts. The Climate Council issued the prediction on Tuesday, finding the savings were possible if half of all homes with solar panels installed added batteries by 2030. But progress could also get a bigger boost from allowing more electric vehicles to charge up the national grid, if solar battery prices continued to fall, and if all new households were designed for rooftop solar and battery systems, it found. The report comes amid heightened demand for home batteries after the announcement of a $2.3 billion federal government scheme to subsidise their purchase by 30 per cent from July. The Climate Council report, called Battery Boom, found about 300,000 (eight per cent) of the four million Australian households with solar panels used batteries to store energy. If that figure was lifted to reach two million homes by 2030 - half of those with rooftop solar panels currently installed - household energy bill savings could hit $4 billion a year. Electricity bill savings could rise from $1500 with solar panels to $2300 a year after installing a battery, Climate Council spokesman Greg Bourne said, although further support would be needed to help some families deal with the up-front cost. "Batteries haven't penetrated far enough into those four million (solar) households, but it makes a huge difference when you start picking up the sunshine from midday and time-shifting it to when high cost of electricity comes in," he told AAP. "It will start as word-of-mouth in the neighbourhood and talk of 'my bill's half of what it was' or 'my bills are a quarter of what they were because we put a battery in' and that's part of the education process." A typical household battery is expected to cover its cost within 8.3 years without the upcoming subsidy, the report found, down from 10 years in 2022. The Climate Council report also found big battery storage projects planned for Australia had doubled over the past year to reach 20 gigawatts, and the price of large energy storage had fallen by 20 per cent. On a state-by-state basis, Western Australia led the nation for the most big battery projects with eight installed, Victoria boasted the most community solar batteries, and the Northern Territory had the most homes with solar batteries installed at 15.9 per cent. Battery storage could also get a significant boost from compatible electric vehicles, Mr Bourne said, as more vehicle-to-grid chargers were standardised and sold in Australia. Other recommendations in the report to boost battery storage included adding rooftop solar and storage capacity to the National Construction Code, expanding support for community batteries, and strengthening on-shore battery recycling schemes.
