Armidale Regional Council resolved unanimously to partner with Transport NSW and contribute $100,000 towards the $900,000 trial of our now familiar driverless bus.

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Council Chief Executive Officer Susan Law said there were two stages to the trials, which had ended and council had discussed ending the engagement with Transport NSW.

"Our priority has been, for this year and probably for the next few years, focused firstly on management of the drought, and when that ends, management of the infrastructure and the community to exit the drought and rebuild the economy," she said.

"The trials have not been a failure. We assisted both the software providers and Transport NSW in understanding more about the software and about how these driverless vehicles operate, so we were pleased to be able to give them that assistance.

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"I do think it is important to understand the driverless vehicle is still in its early stages.

"There are some issues about the way Armidale is laid out, the traffic as well as the topography that we've learnt a lot about how a driverless vehicle operates in those circumstances."

A spokeswoman from Transport NSW said Armidale's driverless bus will take his final trip on Thursday, February 20.

"Armidale has played a major role in testing the future of regional transportation, with ARDi achieving a number of Australian-firsts. It became the first automated shuttle to operate in mixed traffic within a city centre and operated on one of our longest and most complex trial routes," she said

"Feedback from the community has been really positive with many curious to learn more about how the technology works.

"We encourage Armidale locals and visitors to jump aboard and experience this exciting technology in ARDI's final days."

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