Partially automated driving trial

The Queensland CAV program trialled CAVs and automated technology on the South East Queensland road network. The 2018 trial tested driver assist technology (for example, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control and traffic sign recognition) and its responses to Brisbane road infrastructure.

Trial data was captured via captured via our Australian-first, purpose-built app that tracked, recorded and measured interactions between trial CAVs and road infrastructure.

Trial routes included the Clem Jones & Legacy Way Tunnels, Airport Link, Centenary, Gateway, Inner City Bypass, Legacy Way, Logan and Pacific motorways.

Audi, BMW, Jaguar Land Rover, Mercedes, Toyota and Volvo all supplied trial vehicles, and the trials were run with input from:

  • Brisbane City Council
  • Department of Transport and Main Roads
  • Queensland Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety
  • Queensland Trucking Association
  • Queensland Police
  • Royal Automobile Club of Queensland.

Findings

Report

Queensland partially automated vehicle trials report.

Video

The videos below illustrate some of our findings and scenarios that can arise in some vehicles in certain conditions. These findings were not necessarily common across all vehicles and conditions.

Emergency bays

Changes in line marking as vehicles passed an emergency bay would sometimes interfere with lane keeping.
 

Driven to distraction

The absence of line markings within roadworks often disengaged lane keeping (for example where temporary ‘stick and stomp’ plastic markers were used).

What’s the speed limit again?

Electronic signs
Signs within and at the entrance to some tunnels were difficult for vehicles to identify.

Digital maps
Sometimes vehicles identified a change in speed limit where there was no sign, seemingly following speeds from a digital map.

Light at the end of the tunnel

Lane keeping sometimes disengaged when emerging from a tunnel portal back into daylight. Exit ramps or emergency bays at these locations may cause further complications.

At a cross road

Some vehicles struggled to maintain lane keeping while taking sharper curves in the road (such as at motorway-to-motorway interchanges), without slowing down as suggested on advisory speed signs.