Today, RAC launched the RAC Imagine Program™, a free primary school excursion initiative giving young Western Australians the opportunity to discover past and future technologies and learn about the changing nature of transport, mobility and road safety.
RAC General Manager Public Policy and Mobility, Anne Still said students would benefit from a day of interactive activities and take a 3.5km journey on the driverless RAC Intellibus®.
“Since launching the RAC Intellibus on public roads in 2016, we’ve had more than 14,000 people take a ride and experience driverless technology first hand, including through a recent regional demonstration in Busselton,” Ms Still said.
“We’re excited to now extend this opportunity to younger Western Australians through the RAC Imagine Program.”
Students will also step back in time during a tour of South Perth’s historic Old Mill, board the RAC Rescue Experience, learn how automated vehicle technology will influence future road safety through coding and, based on the day’s learnings, construct sculptures from recycled materials.
“The RAC Imagine Program™ is designed to help students discover how new technology can create a safe, sustainable and more connected future,” Ms Still said.
City of South Perth Mayor Sue Doherty welcomed the opportunity to share the learnings gained from the Intellibus trial with the younger generation.
“The City continues to look towards our future and this program encourages students to see the value in learning from history and generating fresh ideas for the future,” Mayor Doherty.
“This tour emphasises science, technology, and the history of engineering and problem-solving in WA and we are pleased to be working with our partners to bring these stories to students.”
Hale School Director of Innovation & Research, Toby Trewin said students were excited to be participating in the official launch of the RAC Imagine program.
“With a wide range of hands-on and practical experiences, we hope this program will inspire our students to reimagine the future of transport, mobility and road safety and the endless possibilities that are available,” Mr Trewin said.
“This innovative program will enhance our student experience to best prepare them for the future and to develop a deeper understanding of this new frontier.”
The RAC Imagine Program™ commenced on Tuesday, 3 September and will operate every Tuesday and Wednesday during school term with support from the City of South Perth. School bookings can be made by visiting rac.com.au/imagine.
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Media contact: Mikayla Wearne, 0401 703 719 or media@rac.com.au
BACKGROUNDER
About the RAC Intellibus®
- Since 2015, RAC has been working to test and evaluate a fully autonomous, electric shuttle bus.
- On the 31st August 2016, with the support from the WA Government and the City of South Perth, RAC launched our Automated Vehicle Trial on public roads.
- As of June 2019, more than 19,007 people had registered to ride and 12,574 had experienced the Intellibus, with many more stopping to observe and take a photo.
- The RAC Intellibus® has travelled more than 20,727 km in autonomous mode.
About the RAC Rescue Experience
- The RAC Rescue Experience is a four-minute, 360-degree virtual reality experience showing Western Australians what happens during a rescue.
- The experience covers the entire mission, from taking flight through to attending the scene of a car crash and then transferring the patient to hospital.
- The experience provides a real insight into the incredible work the crew do on board the RAC Rescue helicopters and on the ground every day.
