Driven to technology
But big dream comes with hefty price tag
SELF-DRIVING cars may just be a reality on Cairns streets before the Kuranda Range receives an upgrade.
Professor Wei Xiang of the JCU Things And Systems Engineering program is predicting autonomous vehicles would be a common sight within a decade.
“The technology is getting there. I think the primary barrier is policy,” Prof Xiang said.
“In my estimation, everyday drivers can access self-driving cars in 5-10 years.”
The forecast lends credence to Member for Barron River Craig Crawford’s offhand speculation that the Kuranda Range road’s problems may be solved by self-driving cars.
Time frames for a substantial upgrade on the range were pushed back to 2025-2030 with the publication of the Draft 2025 North Queensland Regional Plan in 2008.
The plan states that the “optimal solution” for the range would be “a four lane upgrade of the existing route.”
In the meantime, Prof Xiang said, technology was advancing at a rapid pace.
But don’t expect to grab a self-driving runabout with current sensor technology for a steal.
“The cost of the system is not cheap – a good one would cost $100,000 alone,” Prof Xiang said.
“The second approach with 5G technology is on the way and is way cheaper.”
The RACQ has reservations about autonomous vehicle technology.
“In Australia we have taken a cautious approach to testing … before we roll it out on our roads,” RACQ’s head of public policy Rebecca Michael said.
“Fully autonomous vehicles are still many years away from being driven freely on open roads.”
She predicted that fully autonomous cars in the $20,000-$30,000 price range was “unlikely” in the next 20 years.
RACQ figures show that 8300 vehicles use the “high risk” Kuranda Range daily.