South Australia set to open roads to driverless cars

South Australia could soon become the first state in Australia to conduct ‘real life’ trials of driverless cars on the open roads, with new legislation going before Parliament on Thursday.

The state will already become the first place in the southern hemisphere to conduct trials of automated vehicles in November, but the new legislation is required to allow the tests to be conducted on roads with other drivers, the Adelaide Advertiser reports.

South Australia transport minister Stephen Mullighan says he wants the state to be a key player in this emerging market.

“We are on the cusp of the biggest advance in motoring since the Model T opened up car ownership to the masses,” Mullighan tells the Adelaide Advertiser.

“As the first state in Australia to regulate a framework for such testing, we are opening our doors to global businesses to develop and trial their technologies here, while also creating the right environment for local businesses to grow and flourish.”

The Motor Vehicles (Trials of Automotive Technologies) Amendment Bill provides the exemptions from existing laws and insurances necessary to conduct the on-road trials.

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