Commissioned by Austroads, the Hazard Perception Test is a library of almost 200 3D animated driving simulations covering the most problematic road hazards for novice drivers and (in a world first) motorcyclists.

As lead technical animator on this project, I was responsible for developing the animation pipeline and preparing both character and vehicle rigs for full-scale production. Once the animation library was prepared, I also assisted the animation team in placing actors in the world according to Austroads’ very strict script specifications.

As part of an internal experiment, I recreated one of the ‘HPT’ clips in virtual reality using Unreal Engine 4. Presenting the test in VR allowed driving students to immerse themselves in the scenario, turn their head in any direction, and monitor traffic conditions in real-time. It is my hope that this proof of concept represents the future of driver training.

You can find more behind-the-scenes production footage (in which I appear for 4 seconds in the background) on Monkeystack’s website.