Self-Driving Cars in Australia: Closer Than You Think?

The idea of self-driving cars was once the stuff of science fiction, but in Australia, autonomous vehicles are closer to becoming a reality than many think. While fully self-driving cars that require no human intervention are still a long way off, experts say we’ll see them first in controlled environments like airports, aged-care homes, and mining sites—and it’s already happening.

Where Will Self-Driving Cars Appear First?

Though countries like the United States have seen limited deployment of autonomous vehicles, Australia is approaching self-driving technology in a more controlled and cautious manner. Professor Michael Milford, Director of Queensland University of Technology’s Centre for Robotics, believes fully autonomous vehicles won’t be on public roads anytime soon.

“The widespread deployment of self-driving cars carrying passengers without human intervention is still likely at least five or ten years away, and may or may not ever happen,” he said.

However, autonomous vehicles are already being tested in specific locations, such as:

🚖 Retirement villages and communities – for last-mile transport ✈️ Airports – shuttling passengers between terminals 🏗 Mining sites – driverless trucks improving safety and efficiency 🏫 University campuses – testing self-driving buses in controlled conditions

One of the earliest trials took place in 2018, when La Trobe University in Melbourne tested an autonomous bus on campus. The six-month trial successfully demonstrated that self-driving transport could operate safely while interacting with pedestrians, buses, and cyclists.

Self-Driving Technology in Mining: A Success Story

The mining industry has been the leader in deploying large-scale autonomous vehicle fleets. According to a June 2024 Mining Technology report, Australian mining giant BHP operates the largest fleet of autonomous trucks, with 367 vehicles in use since July 2023.

The results?

✅ 20% increase in productivity ✅ 20% reduction in operational costs ✅ 90% drop in haul truck accidents

This success highlights how self-driving technology can work in structured, predictable environments—but translating this to urban roads is a much greater challenge.

Are Self-Driving Cars Safe?

Safety remains one of the biggest questions surrounding self-driving technology. The National Transport Commission (NTC) predicts that by 2050, autonomous and connected vehicles could:

🚘 Prevent 8,000 deaths 💰 Reduce crash costs by $150 billion (and an additional $157 billion by 2070)

Amit Trivedi from Queensland’s Department of Transport and Main Roads believes self-driving cars could significantly improve road safety:

“A human's reaction time is between 1.3 to 1.4 seconds, whereas an automated vehicle's reaction time is three to four times better.”

However, experts caution that self-driving technology is still in its infancy, and major flaws remain. Tesla’s Autopilot system has been linked to multiple accidents in the U.S., while Waymo’s self-driving taxis have malfunctioned—swerving into traffic and even colliding with cyclists.

The Future: More Automation, More Assistance

While fully autonomous robotaxis might not be on Australian roads soon, cars are already integrating advanced driver assistance features like:

🚗 Autonomous emergency braking (AEB) 🚦 Lane-keeping assistance 🔍 AI-driven collision avoidance

These technologies are expected to improve significantly over the next five to ten years, making cars safer and more intuitive.

A Look Ahead: Will Self-Driving Cars Take Over?

While experts debate the timeline, Sean Killen, Vice President of Global Markets for Geotab, believes that in 25-30 years, accidents will be rare thanks to automation.

“In the next five or seven years, I think there’ll be fewer vehicle fatalities as autonomous technology improves. It’ll be like The Jetsons—on the ground, not flying, but completely controlled.”

For now, Australia’s self-driving journey is just beginning, with airports, aged-care facilities, and mining leading the way. Whether we’ll see fully autonomous cars in everyday life remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the road to self-driving technology is accelerating faster than ever. 🚀

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Credit: Drive.com.au