Initiatives could be in areas such as driverless cars and trains, ride-sharing and the use of real-time smartphone apps. Minister for Transport & Infrastructure Andrew Constance said that he was calling on the world's brightest tech minds to find the next big idea that would shake up transport in NSW.
The ‘Future Transport’ programme will kick off with a two-day summit in April, intended to bring together ‘thought leaders’, IT specialists, innovators, entrepreneurs, futurists, transport leaders and academics, from around the world. The summit will also feature an 'Industry ideas and innovations lab' where companies can register to pitch products and ideas that could improve transport and the customer experience.
“This summit will be the perfect platform to ignite innovative, creative and out-of-the-box ideas that will transform transport for the better,” said Constance. "While we've made good progress with open data, collaboration with developers, apps and better regulation, it's no secret NSW has lagged behind the rest of the world and I am determined to turn that around.
"The state's population is going to increase by about 2 million people by 2031. As well as building new infrastructure, we need to look at smarter systems and technology driven solutions to cope with demand.
"We need to stay ahead of the game so it's time we ask, what are the next big ideas? What are the next systems and technologies that are going to challenge us and shape the transport system in NSW?”
The minister has issued invitations to more than 150 leading thinkers and practitioners to join the summit.
The 12 month ‘Future Transport’ programme will also include opportunities for the community to get involved through online forums, a youth summit, and new partnerships with incubators to develop emerging ideas and products.
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