Australia’s largest mobile operator Telstra joined forces with the New South Wales (NSW) government and a number of partners to launch the first driverless vehicle trial in the state.

The trial, covering vehicle-to-pedestrian technology, will run over a two-year period in Sydney Olympic Park.

Oliver Blain, Telstra Enterprise’s head of NSW, said the project will showcase how the transport industry will be shaped by advances in automation and IoT: “The ultimate goal of the trial is to find the best ways to harness the next generation of driverless technology and continue to improve safety and reliability for transport customers and road users in NSW,” he said.

The NSW government expects office workers at Sydney Olympic Park to use an automated shuttle (pictured) by next year.

Blain said Telstra is actively exploring autonomous and connected technology on several fronts to understand the challenges and opportunities involved and help bring economic and societal benefits forward.

Australia reported 1,292 deaths on its roads in 2016.

“Our partnership with Transport NSW reinforces our investment in developing technology that unlocks the potential for numerous social and economic benefits of autonomous vehicles in Australia,” he said.

The operator is a member of the steering committee for the Australian Driverless Vehicle Initiative (ADVI), an organisation focused on promoting the introduction of driverless vehicles in the country.