For anyone who wants to enjoy a day in the vineyards without the headache of finding a responsible driver perhaps help is at hand with the arrival of Autovino the driverless bus.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Singleton Council has joined forces with HMI Technologies, Professional Data Kinetics, the Around Hermitage Association to make a submission to Transport for NSW to bring a sophisticated automated shuttle network to Pokolbin.
Autovino shuttle bus would deliver customers between award-winning wineries, restaurants and accommodation on a 6km route on Hermitage Road, set against the majestic Brokenback Mountain Range.
Mayor of Singleton, Sue Moore said as well as providing a safe and comfortable means for visitors to experience the area, the project would also drive benefits for the local economy.
“The significance of the Transport for NSW trial is that the concept of driverless cars is no longer the stuff of science fiction, and we have no doubt there would be a great level of interest from people who would come to Hermitage Road to see the network in action for themselves,” Cr Moore said.
“But the reality is, a driverless network is a perfect solution for visitors to Hermitage Road to experience the food and wine, craft beer, olive groves and day spas our region is famous for - without the hassle of driving between venues.”
Cr Moore said the trial was expected to create two local technical-related jobs, with the potential to support additional jobs in tourism, engineering, communications, education, research and traffic management.
“There are enormous benefits this project would deliver to Singleton and the wider region, not least a contribution to economic diversification and promotion of future jobs,” she said.
The project proposes to use the Ohmio LIFT developed and manufactured in New Zealand by Ohmio Automotion. It is an electric vehicle and also has solar panels to extend battery life and can transport up to 20 passengers at speeds of up to 45 km/h. It uses a combination of LiDAR, RADAR, Odometry, Optical Detection, GPS/GTK, and ultra-wide band to navigate and avoid obstacles.
