News

Joondalup’s role in the delivery of new and innovative infrastructure platforms was a key focus at last week’s Smart City Connect forum, powered by the National Transport Research Organisation (NTRO) and held at Joondalup Resort. 

This event featured keynote speakers from industry, education and government discussing intelligent and resilient infrastructure, how it will shape our communities for the better and how we can plan for this future. 

City of Joondalup CEO James Pearson used the occasion to talk about Joondalup as a future dedicated precinct for the testing of urban robotics and the City has signed an MOU with CORE Innovation Hub, the operator of the Australian Automation and Robotics Precinct (AARP). 

The MOU sets out a pathway for collaboration on how to facilitate the next steps of technology development at the Australian Automation and Robotics Precinct (AARP) in Neerabup. 

The AARP is a world-leading collaborative innovation hub and Australia’s largest test and development site, located about 10km from the Joondalup City Centre. CORE Innovation Hub operates the AARP on behalf of DevelopmentWA. 

Mr Pearson said signing the MOU was the next logical step for the City towards generating jobs and creating wealth for the local community by becoming an innovation precinct for new and emerging technology and industries such as robotics and automation. 

“The City of Joondalup will support AARP user organisations with the next steps of their technology development, including working alongside them to understand the requirements of testing autonomous vehicles and related technologies at the AARP and eventually on public roads,” he said.

 “In addition, the City will support AARP users to find suitable local accommodation and office space in Joondalup and explore incentives and opportunities for AARP businesses to have a physical presence here, fostering collaboration, knowledge exchange and mutual support.”

 “We want Joondalup to be a place where robotics, automation, artificial intelligence, cyber security, and data science come together as one with the shared goal of building and attracting national and global businesses to invest in Joondalup and the northern suburbs.”