New/emerging transport tech: Greater accessibility and inclusivity
This project will highlight common barriers to transport accessibility and inclusivity across economies while noting any issues unique to particular Asia-Pacific economies. It will identify opportunities to overcome these barriers through the use of new and emerging transport technologies.
Highlighted technologies may include:
- automated vehicles;
- connected journeys;
- ride sourcing apps services; and
- assistive technologies for transportation
A key focus will be on setting the principles necessary to guide government policy development. This will help send market signals to industry on the importance of accessibility in the development of future commercial services and products.
Participants
- Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts (DITRDCA)
- La Trobe University
- APEC Intermodal and Intelligent Transportation Systems Expert Group (IIEG)
Project background
At the 2022 meeting of the APEC Transportation Working Group, it was agreed that the IIEG would focus on the main policy theme of Improving Accessibility and Inclusivity in the Use of New and Emerging Transport Technologies.
The benefits include:
- Policy frameworks to ensure people with mobility challenges can benefit from new transport technologies
- Understanding the barriers of various economies to adopting and deploying the new technology options
- Learnings to be shared across Asia-Pacific economies so that technology solutions to improve accessibility are considered when transport policies are developed
The CAV Policy and Partnerships Section will represent DITRDCA on the project.
Project objectives
The objectives of this project are to:
- Work with APEC economies to take a first step towards Improving Accessibility and Inclusivity in the use of new and emerging transport technologies, and start an international collaboration between members of APEC, by exploring the current barriers to transport access for vulnerable groups, identifying hurdles and opportunities of new and emerging transport technologies and by setting up an expert group to start collaboration.
- Highlight common barriers across economies whilst noting any issues unique to certain economies. Highlighted technologies may include automated vehicles, connected journeys, ride sourcing apps services, and assistive technologies for transportation.
- Set the principles necessary to guide government policy development. This will help send market signals to industry on the importance of accessibility in the development of future commercial services and products.
Final report
This project has been completed, and the final report is available for download at: Technologies & improving public transport accessibility/inclusivity
There is an opportunity in the Northern Rivers of NSW to investigate an automated and inclusive transport option to run along the old Rail Corridor between Mullumbimby and Byron Bay. As part of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail, Byron Shire Council have recently passed a motion to investigate the use of alternate public transport between Old Mullumbimby station and old Byron Bay station along the disused corridor. The opportunity to introduce new technology to offer this service is very real and open to significant support.
Hi Cameron,
Thanks for your comment.
Just a note on how our projects – for the most part – are formed. Generally, one of our partners propose the work, and another does the research. In the case of this project you’ve commented on, it’s a project for the Commonwealth Government, via the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts, with the research carried out by La Trobe University.
In the case of another of our projects, on the topic of autonomous vehicles (see Cooperative and Highly Automated Driving Safety Study, with the final report at Safely deploying automated vehicles on Australian roads), it’s the Department of Main Roads and Transport (Queensland) requesting the research, and that work was carried out by QUT.
You can read more about what we do, and how we do it, on our About iMOVE page.