This month, CCAT has continued to engage with our members and stakeholders in a variety of ways.
We were thrilled to host an event on 'Public Attitudes toward Automated Vehicles’ in Melbourne in partnership with EastLink. Our fantastic panel of government and industry speakers shared their thoughts on shifting public attitudes, and were quizzed by an enthusiastic audience. Thank you to everyone who attended this event to make it a success.
The CCAT Board met in Sydney to discuss a number of topics including planning for the National Future Transport Summit. The Board was joined by senior transport leaders after their meeting for a lively lunchtime discussion on future transport challenges in Australia and levers for addressing them.
CCAT also submitted a response to the National Transport Commission and Commonwealth Government’s consultation on Automated Vehicle Safety Reform. Thank you to our members who provided input into this response.
I was pleased to present to Queensland Transport and Main Roads and Freight Victoria on automated trucking and freight, including discussing the preparations necessary to deploy this technology in a way which addresses existing transport challenges. These conversations made me reflect on the fact that in 2024 I have been asked to speak at multiple events about automated trucking specifically – I believe it shows a growing sector interest in this use case and the possibility of seeing more trials here in Australia to test its viability.
I was also privileged to represent CCAT, alongside my colleague Bec Kennedy, at the National Women in Transport networking lunch hosted by the National Transport Commission. We were lucky to hear from Dr Leonora Risse about practical ways to de-bias workplace systems to move towards gender equality, including addressing implicit bias in interviews, promotions, parental/care leave and job advertising.
In Perth I attended the City of Joondalup and National Transport Research Organisation’s ‘Smart City Connect’ event. A large turnout from the Western Australian transport community came together to hear about the state’s transport innovation pathway, including new test facilities, new ways to collect transport data, and new technology solutions for our mines and public infrastructure.
Finally we have been engaging with key stakeholders on the National Future Transport Summit, in particular to establish the Steering Committee which will guide this initiative with its policy leadership. We will be able to share further updates with the wider stakeholder community soon.
Rahila David
Executive Director, CCAT
CCAT News
Register for CCAT's July Event: C-ITS Roadmap for Western Australia
Tuesday 30 July 2024
1.00pm -1.45pm AWST
Online
CCAT, in partnership with Main Roads Western Australia, invites you to this interactive online session on the recently launched Co-operative Intelligent Transport Systems (C-ITS) Roadmap for Western Australia. Main Roads will discuss the priorities for C-ITS in the state and participate in a Q&A discussion moderated by our Executive Director, Rahila David.
C-ITS are interconnected systems of technologies that allow road vehicles to communicate with other vehicles, their drivers, road infrastructure and data services, and with vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists. 
This event is an opportunity to understand the challenges that can be solved by C-ITS and the broader impact of the Roadmap on harmonising the deployment of enhanced safety, mobility, resilience and a transport network ready for future vehicle technology.
Speakers
Cory Ross
Main Roads WA Manager of Intelligent Transport System Operations
Meifang Lai
Main Roads WA Intelligent Transport Systems Technology Manager
Event Recap: Public acceptance key to automated vehicle transition
CCAT was pleased to welcome stakeholders to our Melbourne event on Public Attitudes Toward Automated Vehicles on 20 June. Our member and event partner, EastLink, has been surveying Victorian drivers annually since 2017 to gauge perceptions of electric and self-driving vehicles. Corporate Affairs Manager, Doug Spencer-Roy, presented exclusive highlights from the 2023 survey and shared interesting multi-year findings showing a downward trend in positive public sentiment towards automated features in vehicles. Doug was joined by Darren Atkinson from the Commonwealth Government, Joanne Murray from Keolis Downer and Simone Pettigrew from The George Institute for Global Health to explore potential reasons for these shifting attitudes and strategies to address this issue in order to facilitate the implementation of automated vehicles.
Click the link below to view an in-depth article on the event, as well as an ABC interview with Rahila David further discussing public attitudes to automated vehicles.
Transport for NSW hosted the CCAT Board this month for their quarterly meeting and subsequent stakeholder lunch and roundtable discussion. Key issues before the Board meeting included the National Future Transport Summit and CCAT’s work program for 2024/25. Kurt Brissett, Chief Technology and Innovation Officer at Transport for NSW, provided an insightful keynote during the lunch which highlighted the Department’s key priorities in the future transport space including those in their recently endorsed Transport Technology Strategy.
CCAT has provided a submission to the National Transport Commission and Commonwealth Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, and Communications on the government’s Automated Vehicle Safety Reform program. The submission highlights the need for outcomes-focused regulation, the practical challenges of human user obligations, the need to address workforce disruptions and the opportunity for regulatory reform to align with infrastructure change.
Infrastructure and Transport Ministers' Meeting highlights progress on rail interoperability and safety
The Infrastructure and Transport Ministers' Meeting was held in Brisbane on 7 June. Ministers discussed a range of issues, including the development of a strategic business case for rail interoperability and the endorsement of the Rail Safety National Law Review’s final report. They also addressed decarbonisation strategies for transport infrastructure projects, road safety actions and heavy vehicle regulations.
Western Australia releases much anticipated C-ITS roadmap
Western Australia is advancing its C-ITS deployment strategy, focusing on maximizing early benefits and achieving a comprehensive C-ITS vision. CCAT will explore these benefits and more at our interactive session with Main Roads Western Australia on 30 July 2024.
Recent research from the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi has developed an evaluation framework and tool which can assess the viability of a trial using automated public transport vehicles. This research is an important step in understanding how automated vehicle technology might be adapted to suit the needs of New Zealand’s unique topography and population distribution.
New research shows there is a significant gap in cyber security for unmanned aerial vehicles in Australia. Despite their increasing use in monitoring the productivity and security of critical infrastructure, there are currently no regulations governing their cyber security. A report, published by the Cyber Security CRC, recommends that the Commonwealth Government, through the Cyber and Infrastructure Security Centre, should publish guidelines to regulate their use.
Telstra powers Honda's connected car offering in Australia
Telstra has been announced as the connectivity partner for Honda in Australia, driving the next generation of technology in the all-new Accord. Launched this month, the new Accord features an upgraded ‘Honda Connect’ service and the first integration of Google built-in, enabled by Telstra and supported by Telstra’s mobile network.
Self-driving cars are safer, but riskier at dusk and dawn.
New research reveals self-driving cars face significant challenges in low-light conditions, with a five times higher likelihood of accidents compared to human-driven vehicles during dawn, dusk or while turning. While autonomous vehicles generally perform routine tasks better, the study highlights the need for improved sensor technologies.
In collaboration with autonomous driving software leader Plus, Hyundai demonstrated the self-driving capabilities of its XCIENT Fuel Cell truck at the recent Advanced Clean Transportation Expo in California, highlighting the combined potential of autonomous and hydrogen fuel-cell technologies to enhance road safety and freight efficiencies.
Renault Group has unveiled its cutting-edge, fully automated logistics facility in Villeroy, France, powered by 191 autonomous Skypod robots. This innovative facility increases operational efficiency by 25% while prioritising worker safety through the robotics system's advanced handling capabilities.
Driverless road sweepers put on trial in Singapore
A trial will begin for two driverless road sweepers on public roads in the Marina coastal area in Singapore. The electric sweepers, equipped with cameras and LiDAR sensors, will initially have a driver present but aim to eventually operate round-the-clock while monitored remotely.
We continue to engage with experts and stakeholders interested in facilitating the transition to connected and automated transport in Australia and New Zealand. If you would like to know more about CCAT, including information on how to join, you can find further details on our website or email us at info@ccat.org.au to arrange a meeting.
