Vehicle-specific driver safety training in the Australian heavy vehicle landscape could be set to change for the better following the awarding of Heavy Vehicle Safety Initiative grant funding to MOTUM Simulation by the NHVR and Australian government.
MOTUM’s virtual training platform has been awarded a cut of the overall $3.9 million to be awarded as part of the HVSI’s tenth round of funding.
The company’s Australian-produced MOTUM World software already has applications in the heavy vehicle space, and has been providing its services to Qube to train employees RORO operations.
Since implementing the technology roughly 18 months ago, Qube has seen a 37 per cent reduction in reportable incidents when compared to the previous period.
To develop MOTUM World for the heavy vehicle market, MOTUM is working closely with numerous industry stakeholders including the NHVR, Armstrong’s Driver Training, the Australian Driving Institute and Driver Safety Australia.
It will create a wide range of heavy vehicles able to be used in its simulation from smaller rigid trucks through to multi-combinations, and will recreate the driving dynamics of different load types in the virtual world.
MOTUM Simulation Managing Director Steve Hoinville says the addition of risk-free virtual reality training is the perfect supplementation to traditional driver training methods.
“Extensive research has validated the effectiveness of simulators in driver training, and through MOTUM World, we have a platform that has been researched and developed locally for our specific conditions, improving safety outcomes for one of the highest-risk cohorts on our roads,” Hoinville says.
“As simulation technology has improved in fidelity and cost, it is now a tool that can and should be accessible in all driver training scenarios, especially for those situations that are too dangerous to replicate in real life.
“Simulation-based training is the logical supplement to the traditional method. Countering the significant limitations of on-road training, MOTUM World offers cost-effective, repeatable, 100 per cent objective training that is totally risk-free.
“It can be undertaken in any location, at any time, and it is not dependent on the availability of vehicle assets.
“While our company has roots in producing physical simulators, we identified a significant hole in the market for driver training software specifically developed for the needs of Australian drivers.
“With thanks to the NHVR and the HVSI, we can now work to produce vehicles, environment assets, training scenarios and associated hardware to include various heavy vehicle types.
“In the virtual environment, training scenarios can be tailored to improve safety outcomes across the board for all road users.”
The functionality of MOTUM World includes a full 360-degree view and the surround sounds from the simulation environment, high visual realism, and kinematic and dynamic accuracy to real-life vehicle models affording accurate response to driver input.
VR headsets provide support for drivers to turn their heads up to 18- degrees for reversing, left-right checks at intersections and lane changes.
A full range of sensations can also be provided to drivers, such as road surface changes, cornering and braking forces, or loss of traction.
The NHVR says MOTUM World is one of 16 projects to be awarded funding from the tenth round of the HVSI.
MOTUM World’s heavy vehicle training application also expands to allow passenger vehicle drivers to experience the unique challenges associated with truck driving while in a risk-free environment.
“We look forward to seeing the MOTUM World project come to life to boost heavy vehicle safety standards and practices,” NHVR Executive Director Corporate Affairs Michelle Tayler says.
“The HVSI grants program funds critical industry-led safety projects aimed at reducing road trauma and saving lives on Australia’s roads.”
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