The iMOVE Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) has announced the eight winners of the second round of its Impact Extension Program (IEP2).
The program provides a total of $2.7 million to fast-track promising transport innovations move from the lab, or concept stage, to reality, where they can have an impact on everyday societal life.
The grants range from $100,000 to $500,000 and come with the proviso that all projects will be completed by September 2026.
Some of the innovative projects included a ‘Through‑the‑Road Parallel Hybrid Pilot: Low Emission High Productivity A‑Double’; ‘Safety on our Songlines: Equity in First Nations Road Safety’; and ‘See.Sense Insight – AI‑powered data dashboard for cycling safety and planning’.
The A-Double project will see Electric Haulage Australia (EHAULA) partner with Wettenhalls, Bulk Transport Equipment and Tiger Spider to build a new kind of heavy truck.
The parties will fit an electric motor to the small trailer unit that sits between two semi‑trailers (known as an A‑double) so it can help power the whole rig, which will hopefully cut fuel use by more than 40 per cent.
EHAULA finance director, Jerome Coleman, said the iMOVE grant will accelerate the company’s mission to decarbonise freight.
“The impact will be felt most significantly across mining, agriculture and long‑haul logistics – sectors that carry the largest freight task and generate the highest emissions,” he said. “These are precisely the areas where innovation will deliver the greatest carbon abatement.”
The Safety on our Songlines project will see Murri’s on the Move (MOTM) and Queensland University of Technology co‑design culturally responsive driver education and licensing tools for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, particularly in remote communities.
“The IEP2 grant empowers Murri’s on the Move to co-create culturally responsive road safety solutions with First Nations communities,” said the MOTM.
“We will reclaim our road safety using our ways to strengthen Safety on our Songlines.”
The See.Sense Insight AI‑powered data dashboard will involve Northern Irish–Australian firm See.Sense (Limeforge Pty Ltd) building a national data service that turns information from smart bike lights into safety insights.
Working with the City of Sydney and Surf Coast Shire, the project will collect braking, swerving and surface data from See.Sense devices.
“We’re excited to receive this iMOVE IEP2 grant, which will allow us to advance our See.Sense Insight platform into a nationally scalable tool for cycling safety and planning,” said See.Sense co‑founder and Chief Commercial Officer, Irene McAleese.
iMOVE CRC Managing Director, Ian Christensen, said IEP2 is designed to unlock practical solutions.
“IEP2 gives organisations the resources to turn breakthrough ideas into real‑world solutions that improve how we move, live and connect,” he said.
“Australia has no shortage of ideas. This funding helps get them out of the lab and into our communities.
“The diversity of the projects, from decarbonising heavy freight to improving First Nations road safety, shows how partnerships can deliver real benefits for everyone.
“Our goal here is to help teams move from promising pilots to impactful services.”
iMOVE CRC brings together industry, government, and researchers to solve transport challenges.
The IEP supports projects that are ready for real‑world trials and by focusing on late‑stage innovation, the second round of IEP bridges the gap between research and deployment.
“These eight projects illustrate how targeted funding can unlock big ideas,” Christensen said.
“By September 2026 we expect to see working prototypes, new services and compelling data that can influence policy and investment.
“Ultimately, that means safer, cleaner, and more inclusive transport for Australians.”
iMOVE CRC is part of the Federal Government’s Cooperative Research Centres Program which brings industry, government and research partners together to tackle sector challenges, in this case pressing transport related issues.
Since 2017, iMOVE CRC has supported more than 260 industry‑led projects worth over $90 million tackling real-life problems in transport, freight, mobility, and sustainability collaboratively.
Read more news about Government funding grants.
