Australia’s first driverless mobility vehicle has launched at Elliot Gardens Retirement Village in South Australia and residents have aptly nicknamed it Elliot the Pod.

Aimed at improving the lifestyles of the residents of Elliot Gardens in South Australia, a driverless mobility vehicle was launched in an Australian-first trial.

In partnership with Regional Development Australia, tech company Aurrigo* has launched a driverless vehicle at the Elliot Gardens Retirement Village in South Australia.

Having commenced its duties on March 28th, the vehicle has since been aptly nicknamed Elliot The Pod by popular vote of the residents and is believed to be a ‘world first’ in driverless technology for seniors. The trial is set to showcase how autonomous technology can deliver improved mobility for the 330 residents living in 194 villa homes.

Aurrigo believes this is only the first of many technological advances to assist with day-to-day functions such as mobility. Residents’ feedback on the real-life experience of an autonomous mobility service and the performance of the pod, will contribute to future service and technical developments.

“Our aim is to improve the quality of life by providing a mobility service which enables social interaction in every community where we operate,” said Mr van der Lee.

Achieving its driverless status by operating autonomously through multiple sensor technologies, the battery-powered pod can travel speeds up to to 24 kph and has capacity for four passengers or small cargo transport.

Residents Rene and John Dixon enjoy a lift to the Community Centre in the autonomous vehicle ‘Elliot The Pod’

Appearing as somewhat of a miniature tram, Elliot The Pod is just another great example of how Lendlease villages are constantly searching for ways to create sustainable, connected communities by providing residents with unparalleled choice and opportunity to pursue active lifestyles.

*Aurrigo is a leading manufacturer of driverless vehicle technologies based in the UK with offices in the US, Canada and Australia.