Minister for transport and infrastructure Andrew Constance and minister for roads Duncan Gay today announced the establishment of the Smart Innovation Centre, a new research and development hub for emerging transport and road technology.
Constance said the new centre will be a world-class innovation incubator, bringing together industry, investors, researchers, government agencies, vehicle manufacturers, technology providers and data analysts to maximise opportunities. “This Government is not prepared to sit around waiting for someone else to come up with the next big innovation around technologies for connected transport – we want to be a part of it,” he said. “The Centre will also help us understand how we need to plan and build road and transport infrastructure to prepare for future technology.
Partnerships with local and international experts will be vital to the success of the Smart Innovation Centre, he said. “We are calling for expressions of interest from industry, investors and academics to bring visionary commercial and technical expertise to our world leading centre.”
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Gay said that it wasn’t just about future technology for infrastructure – the centre would also be looking towards the future of automated vehicles. “Road safety is one of the NSW Government’s key priorities as new vehicle technology is developed and made available,” he said. “To prepare for the arrival of automated vehicles in the Australian car market, we’re working closely with our federal and interstate counterparts examining the necessary legislative, regulatory and road design changes – we want to get this right. This hub is going to support and optimise the outcomes of the introduction of automated vehicles as well as look at solutions for congestion and road safety.”
The existing Crashlab in Western Sydney will be transformed into the research and testing facility.
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