Stratford has been selected as a demonstration hub for driverless vehicles -- part of a provincial government plan to create an Autonomous Vehicle Innovation Network.

Stratford Mayor Dan Mathieson says the community is ideally suited for the project due to its municipal wide broadband network and reputation as an IT and automotive city.

The Liberal government announced $80 million in funding over five years in yesterday's budget to create sites across the province to develop and test vehicles capable of sensing and communicating with their environment and navigating without human input.

Technology will be developed at six centres across the province before the vehicles come to Stratford for testing.