By CRM Staff
Toronto, Ontario — January 28, 2019 —The city of Ottawa is taking a step closer to furthering its autonomous vehicle testing.
The nation’s capital announced Friday that it is preparing to open a 16-kilometre test track for autonomous vehicle technologies in the former location of the now-abandoned Ottawa Biotechnology Incubation Centre, in Nepean.
The designated testing zone will allow manufacturers to develop and test driverless cars, without entering public areas and endangering the city’s occupants.
The 1,866-acre area, known as Ottawa L5, is located beside the Nepean Sportsplex and will be the only facility of its kind in North America, according to Invest Ottawa.
News of the incoming test track comes less than a week after the Ontario government announced that it would be allowing some automated vehicles on public roads, either with a passenger inside or with a remote operator monitoring the car from a traveling vehicle.
The testing zone has been equipped with stop signs, street lights, street markings, and other real-world traffic controls, according to Knoxdale-Merivale Ward Coun. Keith Egil.
“I think it’s very important that we have a facility in Ottawa where we can test the vehicles and make sure that they are working properly and safely,” said Egli. “Our traffic services partners have been working to make it a real functioning site.
“They are working to make a standard road network with traffic control, signs, roadway markings. It will in every way mimic a general use road, which of course is what you want to have.”
The Ottawa L5 initiative was first announced in May after a $5 million grant was made by the Autonomous Vehicle Innovation Network (AVIN) program.
AVIN is a program funded by the Ontario government, aimed at building partnerships across Ontario to further develop autonomous vehicle technologies. The autonomous testing initiative is also being supported by the University of Ottawa, Algonquin College, and Carleton University. Corporate partners include IBM, Nokia, Blackberry, Ericsson, and Juniper Networks.
A formal grand opening, featuring vehicle demonstrations, is planned for March.
