What Is Driving Us
The transport system is an integral part of the everyday lives of all Western Australians. In a State that is as large and diverse as ours, it is a critical component that makes it all work. The vast distances and sparse population present complex challenges for productivity and sustained prosperity.
We expect that some of today’s challenges, such as road safety and congestion will continue to be challenges in the future. The cost of congestion in Perth was estimated at $2 billion and will potentially double by 2030 according to the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics. We continue to tackle road safety and congestion with current initiatives such as the Traffic Congestion Management Program and our approach to a Road Safety Management System (ROSMA). We are also watching the development of new technologies, trends and business models that may provide future improvements.
The future of the vehicle
While there has been wide-spread publicity around Google’s Self-Driving Car (SDC) project, as of June there were 14 companies approved to test driverless cars on Californian roads. We are already seeing features such as Autonomous Emergency Braking being deployed to prevent collisions. It’s not hard to imagine that technology with 360 degree sensing capabilities that does not get tired or distracted could potentially have safety benefits.
By connecting vehicles to the Internet, Tesla has been able to send updates to its vehicles, adding features such as ‘summon’ and ‘autopilot’. Consumers are literally waking up to vehicles with more features than the day before.
It is expected that future vehicles will enable more throughput on our existing roads and significantly improve reliability and safety on the road network.
With one eye to the future, Federal, State and Territory governments are working collaboratively to ensure that any unintended barriers for the deployment of autonomous vehicles are removed. We were one of many agencies across Australia that provided input into the National Transport Commission’s review into automated vehicle regulation aimed at identifying potential barriers. We also partner with many stakeholders to raise awareness and build momentum by exploring the impact and requirements on new technology.
Future European and United States emissions standards, price decreases, range increases and running cost benefits are all touted as reasons electric cars will become more important. With around 400,000 people worldwide reserving a Tesla Model 3, at a reservation cost of US$1,000, and more than 20 per cent of new car sales in Norway already electric, this is evidence that customer acceptance is growing. However, the widespread adoption of electric cars would reduce Federal government revenue through the fuel excise and thus impact on the ability of future governments to fund road infrastructure projects and other community services.
Social trends
Like many other developed economies, our youth are choosing to get their driver’s licence later or perhaps even do without a licence altogether. This is partly being driven by an appetite to live closer to infrastructure like public transport. It is also driven by mobility options such as ridesharing choices offered by Uber.
Companies like Uber and Lyft are experimenting with carpooling options to further reduce the cost of ridesharing. General Motors’ recent US$500 million investment in Lyft and Apple’s US$1 billion investment in Chinese ridesharing company Didi Chuxing demonstrates the seriousness of continued research and development.
Many companies envision a potential future where ridesharing, autonomous vehicles and carpooling come together to make ridesharing so efficient that for most people it is cheaper than owning a car. It is possible that these future services will reshape our cities, potentially reducing parking needs and single person vehicle trips to alleviate congestion.
The future of our environment
The Paris Agreement indicates an international consensus on the importance of avoiding the more serious risks of climate change. Australia’s recent decision to join more than 150 countries in the agreement signals that carbon reduction will be increasingly important over the next decade and beyond.
There is a growing international expectation that transport agencies play a stronger role in reducing emissions within the sector. With domestic transport making up around 16 per cent of Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions, the transport sector is an obvious area for improvement. Electric cars have the potential to reduce tailpipe emissions and improve air quality, but the source of that energy is important in considering the overall solution.
Renewable energy sources, specifically wind and solar, are becoming cheaper as technology improves and volumes increase. Interesting opportunities are becoming available with at least three different technologies being developed to embed solar cells within roads and other projects placing solar cells within road reserves or next to the road network. Combined with the introduction of battery storage for energy, renewables provide options for a more distributed energy network. Our recent efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transport industry include trialling energy efficiency options such as LED streetlights and using solar panels on our buildings. We will continue to watch developments and to trial initiatives to reduce greenhouse emissions.
Keeping WA Moving
Celebrating our 90th birthday reminds us of our significant history, the substantial changes seen and yet to come. Our strategic direction, Keeping WA Moving, will drive us beyond the next five years and prepare us for a fast changing world. It sets a direction for 10, 20 or even 30 years in the future, and recognises that we need to prepare now.
It helps us to achieve our aspiration to provide world class outcomes for the customer through a safe, reliable and sustainable road-based transport system through four strategic areas. These areas of focus recognise our portfolio partners’ roles and our part in supporting the achievement of an efficient, safe, integrated transport solution for Western Australia. Being aware of and actively seeking out solutions now will make sure that we are as prepared as we can be for the future.