New South Wales

The Honda Civic Type R hot hatch has joined NSW Police ranks — but it’s not on the highway patrol fleet and its primary role will not be traffic enforcement. There are no lights, sirens or police radio installed, instead the Type R is a community liaison vehicle to be displayed at special events and is designed to break down barriers between the public and the men and women in blue.

Transport for New South Wales has announced a $10 million fund for connected and autonomous vehicle trials, as it looks to ramp up self-driving research within its borders. Released yesterday, the fund is part of a Connected and Automated Vehicles Plan outlining how to create a "sustainable transport system that improves on safety, efficiency and the customer experience" for users.

Sydney drivers will take part in a trial of world-first mobile phone monitoring cameras, as part of a New South Wales Government push to curb distracted driving. The pair of new cameras will be deployed on the M4 and Anzac Parade from January 2019, but motorists caught during the trial won't be fined.

New South Wales motorists will need to abide new laws about minimum passing distance when overtaking cyclists, or face fines and the loss of demerit points. The new Minimum Passing Distance rule comes into force after a two-year trial, and mandates motorists leave a one-metre gap when overtaking cyclists below 60km/h and a 1.5-metre space over 60km/h.

Transport for New South Wales (NSW) has announced "major improvements" to its Graduated Licensing Scheme, with the changes largely aligning with the process used in Victoria. Coming into effect from 20 November 2017, the revised scheme comes with three main changes. Firstly, learner drivers will now be required to complete the Hazard Perception Test before undertaking the practical driving test.