T-Tech: road safety on agenda
Autonomous vehicles “are the way of the future”, according to David Vinsen, chairman of Intelligent Transport Systems New Zealand (ITSNZ).
He also believes the industry needs to start thinking now about how technology can be utilised to improve in safety and cut the country’s road toll.
Vinsen tackled these areas at the T-Tech 2019 two-day conference in Christchurch where he made his views known after last week’s board meeting of ITSNZ, which covered the development of a road-safety strategy. The organisation is investigating how technology can help create safer motorists, cars, speeds, roads and infrastructure.
There were 40 fatalities on New Zealand’s road in April – a record for the month of April during the past decade – and Vinsen said something needed to urgently an speedily change.
Vinsen told delegates: “Autonomous vehicles are the way in the future, but that’s a utopian future so what about now? How can we use technology to improve road safety?
“ITSNZ seeks to encourage examination of all solutions to help create a safer, more sustainable and efficient transport network, including new business models, behaviours and technology-enabled solutions.”
Moving forward, he said the focus needed to be safety, efficiency and sustainability and safety, and T-Tech 2019, which ran from May 6-7, aimed to promote developing effective technology and helping this country adopt better solutions.
Vinsen, who is also chief executive of VIA (the Imported Motor Vehicle Industry Association), added a recent survey carried out by the AA of its members showed the majority wanted technology used for action on road safety.
