New technology trials to improve road safety while reducing the number wildlife vehicle strikes is set to be rolled out in coming weeks, Transport for NSW has announced.
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.
The trials are being made possible with a $500,000 election commitment to investigate the use of emerging technologies as measures to reduce wildlife vehicle strike.
“Wildlife vehicle strike is a serious road safety issue, as well as impacting badly on our native fauna,” said Minister for Roads, John Graham.
“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.”
BioNet data between 2013 -2024 shows that kangaroos are the most reported mammal species involved in animal strikes across NSW, followed by wallabies, wombats and possums. Koalas have the highest number of reported vehicle strikes of all threatened species.
Transport for NSW is proactively collaborating with the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water NSW Koala Strategy to identify and prioritise koala vehicle hotspots on existing roads around the state that require intervention.
