Toyota Australia has partnered with global transport company Transurban to test new Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems (C-ITS) designed to improve road safety and traffic flow on some of Melbourne’s busiest routes.
The trial, which began in August, uses Toyota HiLux vehicles equipped with next-generation vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication technology. The focus is on one of the riskiest driving scenarios—merging onto motorways—where accidents and congestion are common.
Using Transurban’s proprietary traffic management system, which employs AI-powered cameras to measure density, location, and speed, the C-ITS hardware in the vehicles receives real-time updates. These updates alert drivers about speed mismatches with surrounding traffic and warn them of vehicles in their blind spots.
Toyota Australia Vice President Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations, Sean Hanley, said the partnership demonstrates Toyota’s commitment to testing future-ready technologies in real-world driving conditions.
“Partnering with Transurban allows Toyota Australia to test exciting new technologies in real-world situations on some of our most frequently travelled roads,” Mr Hanley said.
“Technologies like the Merge Assist feature being trialled will help in the development of future automated driving capabilities, which will help improve safety outcomes for all, in particular on motorways.”
For Transurban, the trial reflects a broader focus on innovation and safety across its toll road network.
“We’re always looking at ways to make journeys safer and more reliable for the communities who use our roads,” said Transurban Group Executive of Operations, Dave Clements.
“This partnership allows us to explore how connected vehicle technologies can complement our existing traffic management systems to reduce crash risk and improve traffic flow.”
The test site is the inbound Cook Street on-ramp in Port Melbourne, with trials scheduled through September.
Toyota Motor Corporation Australia has previously run C-ITS pilots through Lexus, testing features such as early warnings for unseen vehicles and pedestrians, notifications of roadworks, and communication with emergency services and traffic lights.
As connected and automated vehicle technologies continue to evolve, this collaboration provides an opportunity to assess how innovations can be integrated into both current fleets and future transport systems, with the shared goal of improving safety outcomes for all road users.
- March Sets New Benchmark for EV Sales as Fuel Prices and Policy Drive Demand
March 2026 will be remembered as a turning point for Australia’s new vehicle market, with electric vehicle (EV) sales reaching record levels and reshaping buying behaviour across the industry. Australia recorded 15,839 battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales in March, representing 14.6% of total new car sales—the highest monthly result on record. The surge reflects a convergence of - Toyota Targets Novated Lease Buyers with Free Charger Offer for New HiLux BEVToyota has officially launched the all-electric Toyota HiLux BEV in Australia, marking a significant milestone for both fleet and novated lease markets. But beyond the historic shift to electrification, Toyota is also signalling that it understands the needs of salary packaging customers by including a practical incentive to make the transition easier. The new HiLux BEV will
- Luxury European Cars Set to Become More Affordable Through Novated Leasing Under New Free Trade AgreementA new trade deal between Australia and the European Union is set to make luxury European vehicles more accessible to Australian workers through novated leasing and salary packaging. Changes to import tariffs and the Luxury Car Tax (LCT) under the agreement are expected to reduce vehicle prices, which in turn improves the financial benefits of
- Electric Car Discount review highlights progress – but fleets face a different challengeThe Federal Government’s decision to launch a statutory review of the Electric Car Discount in December 2025 reflects just how quickly Australia’s electric vehicle market has changed since the policy was introduced. Designed to accelerate early adoption, the Electric Car Discount removed fringe benefits tax (FBT) and import tariffs for eligible electric vehicles from July
- Top Trend in 2025: A New Electric Car with a Novated LeaseIf you’re easing into the summer break and letting your mind wander to 2026 plans — a new job, a new project, maybe even a new car — NSW’s latest EV numbers might help spark an idea. The state has officially passed 100,000 electric vehicles on the road, and the new postcode data from NALSPA shows
