The strategy will guide the rollout of new road transport technologies in Australia to help make road transport safer, more productive, sustainable and accessible.
The future of transport is cleaner, connected and automated. Advances in connectivity, sensor technology, automation, artificial intelligence, and data processing and analysis are rapidly changing the vehicles we drive, how we drive them, and how they interact with infrastructure and other road users.
The National Road Transport Technology Strategy and 2024-27 National Connected and Automated Vehicle Action Plan recognise the growing role of these technologies in our road transport system, and the need for them to be rolled out in a nationally-harmonised, safe and responsible way. National harmonisation will help governments and industry make investment decisions, and help technologies operate seamlessly across the country.
The strategy and action plan were jointly developed by the Commonwealth, states and territories, Austroads, and the National Transport Commission, and agreed by Australia's infrastructure and transport Ministers. Through the strategy and action plan, governments are working together to manage the risks of new technologies while getting the best out of them for road management, people and society.
The strategy sets out the vision for technology deployment to help make road transport safer, more productive, sustainable and accessible. It:
- outlines the policy leadership, regulatory stewardship and targeted investment roles of governments, and
- provides principles to guide government action in supporting technology deployment.
It is being implemented by 4-year rolling action plans with the 2024-27 action plan being the first. The action plan's priorities are vehicle automation and connectivity, including cooperative intelligent transport systems (C-ITS) - which enables communication between vehicles, infrastructure, data management systems and other road users like pedestrians and cyclists.
The action plan is continuing work underway to develop a national automated vehicle regulatory framework, and builds on the nationally agreed Principles for a National Approach to C-ITS in Australia to develop a national C-ITS roadmap. It will also consider the treatment of connected and automated vehicles under relevant laws, data sharing, workforce impacts, supporting infrastructure, accessibility of vehicle technologies, and sustainability impacts.
The strategy and action plan replace the National Policy Framework for Land Transport Technology and its action plans.
