Victorian Transport Minister wants national approach on driverless cars

PUBLIC Transport Minister Jacinta Allan has called for a national approach to be taken to cope with the expected arrival of driverless vehicles during the next decade.

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PUBLIC Transport Minister Jacinta Allan has called for a national approach to be taken to cope with the expected arrival of driverless vehicles during the next decade.

With trials of driverless cars taking place in Victoria and other states, Ms Allan says a co-ordinated approach was needed to make the best use of advancing technologies.

Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan. Picture: AAP Image/Tracey Nearmy

“We know that the wave that is coming at us around automated vehicles is something that we have to grasp and make sure that governments aren’t as slow as perhaps they have historically been responding to these emerging technologies,” she said.

“I still think it’s a little way off, whether it’s in the trucking industry or more commercial and passenger vehicles.

“One critical area that’s important is we need a nationally consistent approach.

“Historically we all know the road network is a state based jurisdiction but for something like automated technology to have different approaches in different states is going to hold back the opportunity for the technology to be deployed to its full capacity.

“I would really encourage all of our states to work together and come up with a national approach to this technology.”

Ford has been testing an autonomous driverless car in the US. Picture: Supplied.

Speaking at a Roads Australia luncheon, Ms Allan, who grew up in Bendigo, joked that she was in danger of being converted to a transport nerd.

Ms Allan, who has been Minister for Public Transport and Minister for Employment in the Andrews Government since December 2014, says she is getting exciting about the arrival of tunnel boring machines used to build the Metro tunnel.

“Some of the people I work with in the portfolio do joke that they might give me an honorary degree at the end of my time,” Ms Allan said.

“It is captivating being able to learn more about engineering and delivery techniques.

“I will confess I’m incredibly excited about our first tunnel boring machines.

“I was unexpected how excited I was when I saw the mini TBM — it was only five metres long — but it was still exciting to know that I had one and there were more coming.”

@AndyJeffo