Experts want councils to begin preparing for more networked and driverless vehicles. 

Transport authority Austroads is conducting a project to assist local councils with potential preparations for Connected and Automated Vehicles (CAVs) for the road network.

The project will perform research and develop resources and tools for council staff (including capability models, readiness assessment, target state, toolkits and case studies) and identify data local governments may need to collect to assist with CAV support preparations.

The emergence of CAVs and related technologies has implications for councils as road authorities, infrastructure providers, fleet managers and representatives of their communities. 

This project is focused on addressing councils' needs, along with identifying supporting and coordinating actions required to improve council CAV readiness.

To better understand local council needs, Austroads has created a five-minute questionnaire, which seeks information on any existing council CAV strategies and plans, and known challenges and needs faced by local councils in supporting CAVs.

Austroads is a not-for-profit, nonpartisan organisation funded by Australian and New Zealand government transport agencies.