La Trobe’s connected motorcycle project wins ITS-A research award

iMOVE congratulates La Trobe Univesity, for winning the Excellence in Research and Development Award at last night’s 16th Annual ITS Australia Awards. It received the award for its work on the Motorcyclist safety: Connected motorcycle pilot project with iMOVE.

La Trobe’s partners on the project were Department of Transport and Main Roads (Queensland) and the Transport Accident Commission. The project looked to address the disproportionate percentage of fatalities and accidents on Australian roads involving motorcyclists. This has long been a fact, and continues today, despite major advances in vehicle safety and intelligent transport systems. The project has been complted, and its final report is availabe at Using C-ITS to make motorcyclists safer.

Additionally, La Trobe is continuing its work in this area, with a new project, Increased motorcycle awareness through C-ITS.

World-first work

La Trobe’s leader on the project and Deputy Director of the university’s Centre for Technology Infusion, Erik can Vulpen, said, “We are incredibly grateful to receive this recognition. At the start of this project there were much more questions than answers, which is always the case in R&D projects, but this project covered a lot of of the C-ITS- ground, from the technical integration to the way riders want to have warnings delivered, to the effectiveness and behavioural measurements using the simulator we built. The result is testament for the extraordinary efforts of the team and all involved.”

“This work was a global first, bringing together such a large number of motorcyclists to help move C ITS one step closer to reality. We are incredibly grateful to TMR, TAC and iMOVE for enabling us to be part of this groundbreaking effort, to the Connected Motorcycle Consortium and to all riders who contributed their time and expertise. Together, we need to keep pushing to shape the future of safer and smarter transport.”

Technology to increase safety

La Trobe’s partners on the prject have also been quick to express their pride not only in the award, but the work itself.

Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads’ Harsh Trivedi commented, “This pilot united government agencies, researchers, riders, and manufacturers to trial advanced Cooperative Intelligent Transport System (C-ITS) technologies aimed at enhancing road safety. This project investigates how C-ITS technologies can connect motorcycles to infrastructure and vehicles to provide real-time safety alerts. TMR is delighted to be part of this important initiative that strives to improve road safety.”

TAC CEO Tracey Slatter said, “Motorcyclists are one of our most vulnerable road users as they lack the same protection as drivers and the consequences of having a crash are far more severe,” Ms Slatter said. “We are continually looking at ways to better protect motorcyclists and the connected motorcycle project pilot is a great example of the potential that technology can play in keeping riders safe.

An exciting future

A final word on the success of the project comes from one of the project’s test riders, Daria Gyi.

“This technology has me excited for the future of biking. As motorcyclists, we understand the risks of putting on a helmet and taking to the roads and how this affects the ones we love the most. So, any opportunity to have our risks of danger reduced are welcome. This project is very promising, with the technology having the ability to improve safety, minimise risk and not take away from all the sensations of riding that we love.

It is crazy to think this isn’t already on production motorcycles, when many cars today have similar proximity alert systems that can even override a drivers input as standard inclusions. I think the statistics speak for themselves, we are without a doubt the most vulnerable type of vehicle on the road and any efforts to reduce my chances of being one – is simply something I would not pass on!”

Congratulations one and all!

We’d like to congratulate the may people that contributed their expertise and passion in the connected motorcycle pilot.

Congratulations also to all the other organisations\ and peoples that were nominated and awarded in all the categories in the 16th Annual ITS Australia Awards!