Australia’s Smart Demo 2003 Being Deferred
IVsource.net
10 October 2003

ITS Australia announced that their Smart Demo 2003 is to be deferred until 2004, so as to better accommodate schedules of vehicle industry participants.  Detail is provided here.

The innovative Smart Demo 2003 is to be deferred, announced Lauchlan McIntosh, the Chairman of the event’s Organising Committee, on October 7^th on behalf of the Board of ITS Australia. 

Smart Demo is now to be held sometime in the early part of 2004.

The event still aims to showcase advanced vehicle active safety systems and related ITS innovative technologies that will improve road safety, improve transport productivity, and at the same time progress vehicle environmental performance.

“We had a wide range of enthusiastic sponsors and exhibitors with various automated vehicle products prepared for the October 2003 event, but unfortunately several major manufacturers’ research vehicles were unable to be available in Australia at that time.” said Mr. McIntosh.

“Unfortunately there are important autonomous (driverless) vehicles, as well as vehicles with active driver assistance devices already available elsewhere in the world, which were unable to be demonstrated in late October.

“The decision to defer the event was made after detailed assessment of various options to ensure the event would meet its objectives and the expectations of all sponsors, exhibitors and delegates.  Sponsorship of Smart Demo 2003 reflected the commitment of the NSW and Queensland governments and various industries to have ITS firmly placed on the political and transport systems agenda.

“This event is aimed at stimulating improvements in traffic management, driver assistance technologies, navigation aids, freight management dispatch systems, information for multi-modal transport users, rescue systems and environmental management.

“It will also bring about many opportunities to save lives, save time and save money in transport over the next decade.

“The delay until early 2004 is justified, as it will allow us to include and experience the world’s cutting edge transport technologies.  Australia must keep up with world developments in this area and the showcasing of a wide range of technologies is important for inventors, researchers, manufacturers, regulators, infrastructure providers and consumers to come together as early as possible to ensure there are no difficulties with early introduction,” Mr. McIntosh said.

Brent Stafford, Executive Director of the host organisation ITS Australia commented:  "It is disappointing that a range of vehicles could not be shipped in time.  These delays were due to the large number of orders manufacturers had received for driverless vehicles in other regions.

“While we have rapidly adopted this technology in ports and other industrial applications in Australia, the new generation of active safety systems is still not in demand by consumers in Australia.” Smart Demo will demonstrate the potential for such systems and ensure that all transport users, motorists, truckers, bus owners, pedestrians and governments can see in one location the wide range of useful, new, smart products.

“When people see how these technologies can benefit them in terms of safety, productivity and in improving environmental performance, demand will rapidly increase.” he said.

IVsource will provide more information on the re-scheduled Smart Demo as soon as a new date is set.

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For More Information ...

... see ITS Australia’s website at www.its-australia.com.au. 

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