SMART CITIES
Monash Freeway reimagined under the 'Fleet Street' scenario, with 100 per cent automated, shared, zero emissions vehicles, highlighting some potential future infrastructure changes.
WHAT GOVERNMENT CAN DO TODAY TO BETTER PREPARE VICTORIA FOR TOMORROW While a lot of uncertainty surrounds the roll-out of automated and zero emissions vehicles, and their benefits and risks, we recommended that the Victorian Government take some concrete actions now to prepare for new vehicles and business models. These actions are characterised by being low-cost, no-regrets actions that are likely to deliver benefits regardless of how the technologies evolve. Some of the key actions that can be taken immediately or within the next couple of years include:
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n Infrastructure Magazine’s September 2018 issue, we highlighted some of our research findings, which spanned areas including transport and roads, energy and the environment, ICT and socioeconomic impacts. Following on from these findings, we developed comprehensive advice to the Victorian Government on what actions should be taken, and when, to support the roll-out of driverless and zero emissions vehicles. Our advice had a strong focus on maximising the benefits of these new vehicle types to the Victorian community while minimising risks. We also identified pathways and triggers for action to ensure government knows what to look for in order to take action at the best time. While these recommendations focused on the Victorian context, they could just as easily relate to many other jurisdictions.
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Survey and prepare to update road infrastructure, in particular road quality, lines and signage.
Road infrastructure, in particular lines, signs, road quality and maintenance, is likely to be one of the major barriers to fully automated vehicles being able to operate effectively on our roads in the short term. Governments and road operators can take action now to prepare our roads for driverless cars, and the improvements could have benefits for all road users. It will be important to evaluate priority roads to ensure they are well maintained (free of potholes, with clear line markings etc.), and have clear and safe access for cyclists, pedestrians and all road users. Funding arrangements may need to be reviewed, especially in regional and rural areas where local governments have vast road networks to maintain. Things like the consistency, machine readability and placement of signs, as well as the quality, consistency and reflectivity of line markings should also be reviewed in line with the work going on at a national level led by Austroads.
March 2019 // Issue 10
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