The RAC Intellibus® has today become the first driverless and electric vehicle to operate on public roads in regional Western Australia, after commencing an eight-week demonstration in Busselton.
Under a partnership between RAC and the City of Busselton, the RAC Intellibus® has arrived in the South West to provide the local community and visitors the opportunity to experience driverless technology.
RAC Executive General Manager Advocacy and Members, Patrick Walker said he was delighted to see the first ever public demonstration of driverless vehicles in regional WA become a reality.
“We’re very excited to bring the RAC Intellibus® to Busselton and to provide more Western Australians the chance to learn about driverless vehicles in the best way possible – by taking a ride in one,” Mr Walker said.
“This is one of the first times anywhere in the world that a regional community will get to experience driverless technology up close, which makes it a unique opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of what it could mean for WA and indeed Australia – especially in terms of road safety and accessible travel.”
The 30-minute RAC Intellibus® experience will start at the front of the Busselton Visitor Centre, located on the Busselton foreshore and next to the iconic Busselton Jetty. The vehicle will then head east from Foreshore Parade and along Geographe Bay Road to the Busselton Volunteer Marine Rescue Centre.
City of Busselton Mayor Grant Henley said that working with the RAC on this exciting initiative represents a wonderful opportunity for the City of Busselton.
“Riding the driverless bus along the picturesque Busselton Foreshore offers a unique experience and I encourage locals and visitors to take advantage of this opportunity.”
The experience will be open to the public from Wednesday 8 May to 30 June 2019 and will operate Wednesday to Sunday with rides every 30 minutes between 9.30am to 12pm and 1pm to 3pm. Each ride will take 30 minutes in total and accommodates up to six people per ride.
To avoid missing out, participants are encouraged to pre-book a ride via www.rac.com.au/intellibus or by visiting the Busselton Information Centre during demonstration hours.
A second RAC Intellibus® will also continue to offer public rides along the streets of South Perth, where it has been operating since 2016 and has seen more than 11,800 people take a ride.
The RAC Intellibus® initiative is supported by the WA Government through the provision of a Special Permit to operate on public roads as well as the Australian Government through its national Smart Cities and Suburbs Program.
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RAC Media Contact: Rhys Heron, 0401 703 719 or media@rac.com.au
