ITS Australia has published a report into smart transport for the country, reviewing the country''s smart transport technology industry and identifying future opportunities for safer, more efficient and sustainable transport.The Report leverages off last year's hugely successful ITS World Congress in Melbourne, attended by more than 11,500 delegates from 73 countries and opened opportunities for companies in Britain to gain business through direct contracts or partnerships in Australia.
Smart Transport for Australia provides examples of local and international initiatives and identifies seven key areas for opportunity, with a focus on Australian considerations, including:
  • ?  Pathways to Connected Autonomy
  • ?  Mobility for Smart Cities and Communities
  • ?  Next Generation Public Transport and Mobility as a Service
  • ?  Big Data, Analytics, Ownership and Access
  • ?  Future Freight
  • ?  Transport Pricing and Funding
  • ?  Frameworks for Success
ITS President Brian Negus says Smart Transport for Australia has significant implications for the country, 'We are in a unique position to harness technology to enhance the liveability of our cities and communities.'Australia is a global leader in transport technology and an early adopter of innovation and initiatives. Utilising technology and real time data, in a shared and open environment, provides an opportunity to improve safety, reduce congestion and pollution on our networks, and increase mobility,' Negus said.The ITS Australia Report was produced by Fivenines Consulting, sourcing information from Congress presentations and papers, and interaction with the ITS Australia Board. In addition, on-site face-to- face interviews were conducted with key industry thought-leaders, providing authentic insights, based on genuine industry knowledge and experience.ITS Australia CEO Susan Harris says Congress presenters and Report contributors provided a rich source of information, and assisted with the identification of future areas of opportunity, 'The Australian ITS industry already enjoys a strong global reputation and is a significant contributor to the economy. This Report explores future opportunities to be smart in the development and deployment of technology based transport outcomes for the years ahead.
'The benefits for Australia are clearly recognised with nearly every Australian state currently trialling a connected and automated vehicle initiative, including highly automated vehicles and driverless shuttle buses providing last mile solutions.'Mobility as a Service, Big Data, the Internet of Things, national harmonisation of legislation and future funding models are among the myriad ideas being pursued to improve connectivity and mobility for freight, public and private transport users.'What is exciting is that while we have come a long way, there is still a lot more to come,' Harris concluded.For a copy of Smart Transport for Australia, visit its-australia.com.au