Driverless car firm opens Adelaide office

Driverless car supplier RDM Group has selected Adelaide as the site for its Asia–Pacific headquarters and plans to open an assembly facility in South Australia in the future.

UK-based RDM Group is working on delivering the UK’s first driverless vehicles for use on public pavements, streets and private land in the form of low-speed autonomous transport system (L-SATS) vehicles.

The company’s POD Zero vehicles first hit the streets in 2015 and were showcased at last year’s World Congress on Intelligent Transport Systems in Melbourne.

RDM Group’s APAC headquarters will be located in an office at Flinders University’s Tonsley Innovation District and will be responsible for purchasing, sales and technology support as part of the company’s expansion into Australia and the wider region.

South Australian Transport and Infrastructure Minister Stephen Mulligan said the state is recognised as a national leader in future transportation systems and technologies.

“Since our landmark driverless car trials and demonstrations just over a year ago, the state government has led the nation in creating a legislative framework to support autonomous vehicle technology,” he said.

“RDM’s decision to open its Asia–Pacific headquarters in Adelaide is a resounding show of support for the South Australian Government efforts to stimulate this growing industry which is expected to be worth $90 billion worldwide by 2020.”

Mulligan added that the government has witnessed an overwhelming response to its recently announced Future Mobility Lab Fund, which is designed to boost the local testing and R&D of connected and autonomous vehicle technologies.

More than 40 applications for projects worth more than $20 million will be competing for a share of the $10 million fund.

Image courtesy RDM Group.

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook