At the ITS Summit in Brisbane today, National Transport Commission CEO Dr Gillian Miles talked about technology as a lever to bring to life autonomous vehicles and harmonise the rail network.
"We're very interested at the NTC in what technology can do to support a better, more connected future, but we don't start with the technology," Dr Miles said.
"It starts with understanding where we are now, and what's driving change.
"Data is the fuel for technology. It can give us insights into how people are using the transport system, capacity constraints and where to invest to boost productivity.
"The need to decarbonise our economy is a huge driver that forces us to think very differently.
"When it comes to new transport technologies, we need to know that the old will work with the new - it's an important consideration in harmonising the rail network and getting AVs running on our roads on older infrastructure and alongside conventional vehicles," Dr Miles said.
