The RAC Intellibus, a driverless and electric vehicle (EV) trial, has been repurposed as an educational tool at South Metropolitan TAFE in Western Australia, after completing a significant trial period on public roads that spanned nearly seven years.
According to the insurer, the trial served as Australia’s first and most extended public demonstration of a driverless vehicle, amassing over 38,000 kilometres and carrying more than 28,000 passengers to evaluate the safety and functionality of automated transportation.
RAC group executive of social and community impact Terry Durant commented on the new purpose of the Intellibus.
“This RAC Intellibus we are donating to South Metropolitan TAFE was used for extensive training and testing as part of our autonomous vehicle program,” she said. “It seems fitting it will now be used to provide hands-on experience for students, giving them a deeper understanding of how these vehicles are built and operated.
“We’re proud the RAC Intellibus will live on and continue to help Western Australians imagine the possibilities of transport.”
The vehicle will now be stationed at the Kwinana Campus workshop, where it will be used as a static demonstration unit. This will enable students specialising in light automotive trades to delve into the intricacies of electric and autonomous vehicle technologies.
Durant highlighted the educational value of the Intellibus to the broader community.
“The RAC Intellibus helped our community and policymakers learn about this emerging technology and what it can offer in years to come,” she said. “Increasing levels of electrification and automation are becoming more common in our cars and across our transport network, and the RAC Intellibus will allow apprentices, trainees, and students at South Metropolitan TAFE to get under the hood and explore much of the technology that enables it.”
In addition to its educational use at TAFE, a second RAC Intellibus is currently on display at the Motor Museum of Western Australia to make the technology accessible to the public and further support community learning about automated transport systems.
