Global award for Real-World Testing
Australia’s Real-World Testing Program has received a global innovation award for providing motorists with “unprecedented information enabling them to make more informed choices, save money and better protect the planet”.
Real-World Testing Program director Jason Smith accepts the FIA award
The head of global motoring organisation the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, presented the Australian Automobile Association with its 2024 Empowering Cleaner Choice Innovation Award at a ceremony in Rwanda.
The Real-World Testing Program is a global first. It compares vehicles’ fuel consumption and emissions in real-world Australian driving conditions with the mandated laboratory test results reported by car manufacturers.
It is aimed at helping motorists manage vehicle running costs and access better information to guide their shift into cleaner cars.
The AAA designed the program and manages it on behalf of the Australian Government, which fully funds Real-World Testing.
As of late 2024, the program had released results for 70 of Australia’s most popular cars, with 52 found to be using more fuel than reported from lab testing, and 17 emitting more noxious emissions than allowed under current laboratory test limits.
The four-year program will test up to 200 cars, SUVs, and utes, including electric vehicles. EV testing protocols are now being developed.