Preparing WA to deploy automated on-road freight vehicles

Australia, while still developing a regulatory framework to support the widespread deployment of automated vehicles (AV), is renowned for demonstrating the feasibility of vehicle automation within industry sites — especially in mining and agricultural sectors. Beyond controlled and limited-access environments, transitioning the focus to operate AVs on the broader open road network, in a staged and sensible manner, presents the next frontier for progress to be made.

Automated road freight vehicles are increasingly being recognised as one of the first use cases emerging on the pathway to mass commercialisation of AV technology. This is due to the multiple associated benefits and opportunities (i.e. productivity, efficiency, workforce transition, safety, decarbonisation, resilience, technology sovereignty etc).

The need to prepare Western Australia (WA) to realise these benefits and respond to increasingly automated and connected technologies is becoming urgent and will require significant industry engagement, investment, and planning.

The aim of this project is to describe the pathway towards commercial deployment of AV road freight in WA, including how on-road trialling can be used to provide insights and learnings to inform crucial development stages supported by an evolving research agenda.

Participants

• • Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure
  • Main Roads Western Australia
  • University of Western Australia / PATREC

Project background

The freight transport industry is under increasing strain in Australia and around the world, due to poor road safety outcomes, labour shortages, congested urban roads, poor transport network resilience and growing demand.

As a result, transport operators are keen to explore truck platooning and increasingly more connected and AV solutions while conscious of maintaining sovereignty in logistics and supply chains.

Global investment in automated freight has increased significantly, enabling trucking companies to accelerate their development. Progress has been significant with Level 4 automated trucking on the cusp of commercialisation and adoption in some countries.

The potential for automated trucks to deliver safe and efficient freight movements – on suitable routes and under appropriate conditions – is attracting interest as one of the more feasible applications of AV technology. AV freight pilot studies have so far been conducted in Europe, the USA and more recently Australia.

A focus on high frequency, high volume middle mile freight tasks between major logistic hubs is highlighted for particular attention. Removing the need for two-up drivers on long haul freight journeys may provide another avenue for exploration.

Testing in realistic environments is essential for preparing for on-road operations, providing opportunities to adapt, enhance and improve relevant ecosystems, giving industry and the public confidence that common challenges have been addressed, and the safe deployment of AV freight is possible.

The Australian Research Council’s Industrial Transformation Training Centre, (ITTC), ITS-Australia and a new “Future Freight” CRC, currently under development, have identified research priorities relating to accelerating automated solutions with freight and AVs in regional and remote areas highlighted for attention. The need to identify WA-specific areas of focus, investigation and demonstration is clear.

This project is intended to enable the Transport Portfolio to prepare to engage with industry, based on sound knowledge about the benefits to be achieved by trialling and planning for the commercial deployment of automated on-road freight, including:

• Economic benefits – on-road transport represents the majority (approximately 75%) of freight logistics costs with potential savings in driver wages (79%), fuel (8%) and insurance (5%) associated with freight automation. Uplift in mineral extraction associated with AVs has been estimated to be almost 40% in some WA mining operations.
• Environmental benefits – vehicle automation is a significant enabler for electrification in heavy vehicles. Associated reduction in fuel use and travel efficiency will deliver significant decarbonisation benefits for WA.
• Safety benefits – vehicle automation has the potential to reduce heavy vehicle crashes caused by human error and driver fatigue. Single vehicle crashes are the most common crash type occurring on regional roads in WA.
• Social benefits – responding to driver shortages, improving driver working conditions and optimising preparations to transition the heavy vehicle workforce will be addressed on a pathway towards the deployment of AV freight on WA roads.

Project objectives

The aim of this project is to describe the pathway towards commercial deployment of AV road freight in WA, using on-road trialling to provide insights and learnings to inform crucial development stages supported by an evolving research agenda.

Objectives are to:

1. Evaluate the feasibility and benefits of AV freight deployment for WA
2. Design a detailed trial plan for an on-road AV road freight trial suitable for WA for the Transport Portfolio to seek WA Industry responses to.
3. Develop an implementation framework for integrating automated on-road freight vehicles into the WA transport system from trial to commercial viability.
4. Detail an evolving stream of AV road freight research suitable to support the framework for on-road automated freight in WA.

Please note …

This page will be a living record of this project. As it matures, hits milestones, etc., we’ll continue to add information, links, images, interviews and more. Watch this space!