Rheinmetall and Australia’s DST to collaborate on autonomous vehicle systems

[Zarvan]

Rheinmetall’s new agreement with Australia’s Defence Science and Technology (DST) Group could leverage autonomous capabilities such as remote-controlled driving systems featured in the Boxer JODAA test and demonstration vehicle, which is pictured here. Source: Rheinmetall Defence

Rheinmetall Defence Australia (RDA) and Australia's Defence Science and Technology (DST) Group - the research and development arm of the Department of Defence (DoD) - have signed an agreement to collaborate on land systems technologies.

The accord, announced on 19 October, will focus on the research and development of land-based autonomous vehicle systems including capabilities that can support the 8×8 Boxer armoured vehicles that Rheinmetall is contracted to supply the Australian Army, said official statements.

The new agreement will run for five years and expands the technology partnership between the two sides. The DoD said the RDA and the DST Group have undertaken joint research in simulation and augmented reality technologies over several years. As part of this collaboration, the DoD announced a partnership with RDA in September to develop a new army tactical training system.

The DoD also said the accord is the 17th that the DST Group has signed with industry partners. The agency was previously known as the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) until its name change in 2015.

RDA indicated in its statement that the new agreement could leverage existing capabilities such as the Boxer JODAA (joint operational demonstrator for advanced applications), which was developed by Rheinmetall for the German Army to carry out research and development studies - including remote-controlled driving supported by camera systems.

It added that the partnership would also "introduce future academic and commercial partners into the autonomous vehicles programme".

RDA said the agreement is one of several that it is planning in Australia to "build the company's research and development footprint in [the country] and establish a sovereign military vehicle capability in Australia".

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