ARDI

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Consultation has concluded

The city of Armidale is playing its part in the future of regional transportation as one of two regional centres chosen by the NSW Government to host an autonomous vehicle trial.

Welcome to the Armidale Region Driverless Initiative (ARDi), a partnership between Transport for NSW, Armidale Regional Council, EasyMile, Transdev, WSP, UNE, QBE and Edwards Buses. The trial is initially running for 12 months in two phases, using a fully automated EasyMile shuttle with capacity to carry up to 14 passengers.

See the Say G'day to ARDi video

Community feedback is an important part of the trial and we encourage

The city of Armidale is playing its part in the future of regional transportation as one of two regional centres chosen by the NSW Government to host an autonomous vehicle trial.

Welcome to the Armidale Region Driverless Initiative (ARDi), a partnership between Transport for NSW, Armidale Regional Council, EasyMile, Transdev, WSP, UNE, QBE and Edwards Buses. The trial is initially running for 12 months in two phases, using a fully automated EasyMile shuttle with capacity to carry up to 14 passengers.

See the Say G'day to ARDi video

Community feedback is an important part of the trial and we encourage people to provide their impressions and ideas as:

  • passengers on ARDi
  • other road users
  • public transport users
  • simply as interested members of the community

Send us your feedback or join in a forum discussion.

Each phase of the trial gradually increases the levels of operational complexity in real world environments.

Phase 1: 21 February 2019 to 30 June 2019 - UNE Campus loop connecting residential colleges with key points across campus
Phase 2: Start of August - Loop between Armidale CBD and the New England Regional Art Museum (NERAM)

Public safety will be a major priority and an operating supervisor will be on board whenever ARDi is in operation during the trial, as the project takes us closer to fully autonomous shuttle transportation.

Find out more …

The trial is an exciting step in Armidale's status as a smart, technologically-advanced and progressive city.

See the proposed routes.

See other autonomous vehicles in action

Consultation has concluded

  • ARDi trial officially launched

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    An automated vehicle trial in the city of Armidale was officially launched today, with guests getting their first chance to ride aboard the shuttle bus.

    The Member for Northern Tablelands, Adam Marshall, was joined by Armidale Regional Council Mayor Simon Murray, other project partners and other guests at the University of New England, which will host Phase 1 of the 12-month trial.

    Guests were treated to a loop aboard the vehicle, dubbed ARDi (Automated Regional Driverless Initiative), to demonstrate the state-of-the-art technology that navigates the vehicle.

    ARDi is a Level 4 fully-automated EasyMile EZ10 shuttle. After initial mapping and weeks of testing, Phase 1 will provided a regular service between the residential colleges and the main university campus.

    Services begin on Thursday 21 February and operate from 10am to 10pm Monday to Friday, with a break for charging during the afternoon peak traffic period from 2-5pm.