Peter Sweatman

Dr. Peter Sweatman serves as International Enterprise Professor in Transport Technologies in the Department of Infrastructure Engineering within the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology at the University of Melbourne, a position he has held since 2020. A graduate of the University of Melbourne, he earned his PhD there in 1970 with a thesis entitled 'The design of a variable characteristic vehicle and its use in driver control studies,' focusing on mechanical engineering and vehicle dynamics. Prior to returning to Australia, Sweatman directed the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI), chaired the board of ITS America, and founded the ITS America Leadership Circle. He is a co-founding principal of CAVita LLC and initiated the Michigan Australia Exchange (MAX) program, fostering advanced mobility collaboration between Michigan and Australia. Elected Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (FTSE) in 1997, Sweatman brings over 50 years of experience in transportation research across the USA, Asia-Pacific, and Europe.

Sweatman's research interests encompass intelligent transport systems, road and vehicle safety, connected and automated vehicles, human error mitigation in accidents, heavy vehicle dynamics, public transport sustainability, and multimodal ecosystems. He contributes as a senior advisor to the Australian Integrated Multimodal Ecosystem (AIMES), a University of Melbourne-led initiative spanning over 100 km of test roads. Notable publications include 'A collective case study of real-world fatal crashes' (2024, Journal of Safety Research), 'Safety assurance for automated driving systems that can adapt to changing weather conditions' (2023), 'Standards relevant to automated driving system safety: A systematic assessment' (2023), and contributions to 'Approaches to Road Safety: Evolution, Challenges, and Emerging Technologies' (2025). Sweatman has delivered public insights through Pursuit articles on vehicle innovation and COVID-19 impacts on transport, and testified before the Parliament of Victoria. His leadership in the field is recognized by the ITS World Congress Lifetime Achievement Award (2022) and ITS Australia's Max Lay Lifetime Achievement Award (2020).

Professional Email: peter.sweatman@unimelb.edu.au