Driverless vehicle company Navya will establish an Asia-Pacific manufacturing facility in Adelaide after reaching an agreement with the South Australian Government recently.
The deal follows talks between Premier Jay Weatherill and Navya CEO Christophe Sapet in Paris.
Navya says it is attracted by South Australia’s carbon neutral and renewable energy focus. The French firm currently has manufacturing operations in Lyon, France and Detroit, Michigan. A plant in Adelaide will secure operations in Europe, the Americas and Asia-Pacific.
Navya’s ARMA shuttles are electric, 100 per cent driverless and can carry up to 15 people.
South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill is elated that the driverless vehicle company will establish a manufacturing base there.
“Establishing a driverless car vehicle operation here in South Australia is the perfect bridge connecting our past in traditional vehicle manufacturing and our future in advanced manufacturing in a clean, carbon neutral environment,” he says.
“South Australia is already leading the nation in driverless vehicle technology and this is the next logical step.
“I look forward to partnering with Navya, as we work towards establishing their Asia-Pacific manufacturing operations here in South Australia.
Navya CEO Christophe Sapet says the move into Australia is a key part of its growth strategy and that is delighted to have been able to lay the groundwork of a partnership agreement with the Government of South Australia.
South Australia hosted the first demonstration of an AEV on Australian soil in 2015 and has led the nation in autonomous electric vehicles since.
Most auto manufacturers and new entrants will have driverless car models on the roads by 2020 and a report by Intel forecasts the autonomous vehicle industry will be worth US$7 trillion by 2050; of which 47 per cent is expected to be focused within the Asia-Pacific region. In early 2016, South Australia became the first Australian state to permit driverless vehicle testing on Australian roads.