Going driverless on the land and in the city

HOW will driverless vehicles affect agriculture and regional Australia? How will their presence be felt in Australia’s capital cities?

The Innovation Committee’s driverless vehicles inquiry aims to find out at a hearing in Canberra today.

Committee Chair Michelle Landry MP says the potential effects of the introduction of driverless vehicles in Australia are wide ranging.

“From the farm to the city, we can expect driverless vehicles to shape industries, employment, and access to services and communities,” Ms Landry said.

“The Committee will also consider the environmental impacts in both rural areas and cities.”

The public hearing will include witnesses from the National Farmers’ Federation and the Council of Capital City Lord Mayors.

The Committee will also be hearing from academics to discuss some of the likely impacts of driverless vehicles, including public acceptance, ethics questions, health benefits and broader social changes that access to driverless vehicles might affect.

This hearing will be the ninth the Committee has held for its inquiry into the social issues relating to land-based driverless vehicles in Australia.

Public hearing details: 10.45am – 12.30pm, Wednesday 14 June, Committee Room 1R1, Parliament House, Canberra

10.45 – 11.25am: Dr Damith Herath, Human Centred Technology Research Centre, University of Canberra and Professor Simone Pettigrew, School of Psychology and Speech Pathology, Curtin University.
11.25am – 11.55am: Council of Capital City Lord Mayors
11.55am – 12.30pm: National Farmers’ Federation
12.30pm: Close

The hearing will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live

Interested members of the public may wish to track the committee via the website. 

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