Australian trial to use AI to reduce wildlife vehicle strikes
Friday 14 Mar 2025
New technology trials to improve the road safety of motorists and reduce
the number wildlife vehicle strikes, particularly of koalas, kangaroos
and wombats, will be rolled out in coming weeks, delivering on an
election commitment by the Minns Labor Government.
Road engineers and safety experts are working with wildlife experts on
two key trials:
- A trial of light-coloured pavement marking will test whether
lighter pavement surfaces make it easier for drivers to avoid wildlife.
This work will begin in April at the Future Mobility
Testing and Research Centre in Cudal and will focus on a driver’s
ability to see animals on existing and lighter road surfaces at varying
vehicle speeds.
- Artificial Intelligence assisted animal detection systems
linked to ‘smart’ roadside signage. A trial at
a Transport for NSW facility at Yennora in Western Sydney will
‘train’ AI cameras to identify common wildlife including
kangaroos, koalas and wombats and link that to smart road signage to
warn drivers of the presence of animals on the road and roadside in real
time.
These trials are made possible by a $500,000 election commitment to
investigate the use of emerging technologies as measures to reduce
wildlife vehicle strike.
These initiatives complement existing measures being deployed to protect
native wildlife and improve motorist safety travelling along some of the
state’s busiest roads.
Minister for Roads, John Graham, said,
“Wildlife vehicle strike is a serious road safety issue,
as well as impacting badly on our native fauna. Protecting our
native wildlife along busy transport corridors and areas with growing
communities is a real challenge for the NSW Government and Transport for
NSW."
“We have committed to do more and I’m pleased that
we’re making progress, implementing new protection measures and
starting trials on emerging technologies,” Mr Graham said.
The upcoming trial at the Future Mobility Testing and Research Centre,
at Cudal near Orange, will pave the way for safer roads and better
outcomes for our wildlife.
More
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Source: NSW Government
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