Skip to main content

Government plans to propel New Zealand transport into the future

Secretary for Transport Martin Matthews today launched an intelligent transport systems technology Action Plan that will help make transport safer and more efficient in New Zealand. The plan identifies what is needed in New Zealand for advancing the introduction of intelligent transport systems technologies. Intelligent transport systems use technologies such as sensors, computing and communications in vehicles and in transport infrastructure such as roads; and include such things as traffic control syst
June 19, 2014 Read time: 2 mins
Secretary for Transport Martin Matthews today launched an intelligent transport systems technology Action Plan that will help make transport safer and more efficient in New Zealand. The plan identifies what is needed in New Zealand for advancing the introduction of intelligent transport systems technologies.

Intelligent transport systems use technologies such as sensors, computing and communications in vehicles and in transport infrastructure such as roads; and include such things as traffic control systems, advanced driver assistance, vehicle monitoring and integrated electronic ticketing.

Matthews explained that the plan takes a high-level, multi-agency approach to the introduction of new intelligent transport systems, which are becoming integral to transport in New Zealand and around the world.

“Intelligent transport systems could transform all forms of transport in coming decades,” he said. “Many technologies such as driverless cars, and the capacity for vehicles to platoon (drive closely together like train carriages by being connected electronically) are already being trialled in other countries. These sorts of technologies have the potential to fundamentally change how our transport systems work – while making them safer, more effective and more efficient.

“We are likely to see many new and exciting transport systems in the future. Some may even be transformational. For example, vehicles of the future may be so well equipped they are almost impossible to crash. We want to make sure New Zealand is able to take advantage of these technologies and reap their benefits as soon possible.”

Related Content

  • October 27, 2016
    Rio’s TMC rises to Olympic challenge
    Timothy Compston lifts the lid on Rio de Janeiro’s preparations for keeping its transport systems moving during the Olympics – and the outcome. Hosting the Olympics poses major traffic management challenges for any city and Rio was no exception – especially as it is already one of the world’s most congested cities. Beyond its normal 6.5 million inhabitants wanting to carry on their daily lives, in August Rio was also home to 11,300 athletes from 206 countries. Athletes who, without fail, had to reach their
  • March 18, 2021
    Vivacity demos AI junction control
    How will AI-controlled junctions help smooth the journeys of drivers – and cyclists - in urban areas? Alan Dron looks at an expanding scheme in Manchester, UK, which aims to find out
  • March 24, 2015
    Taking the long view of ITS
    Caroline Visser believes the ITS industry must present a coherent case for consideration of the technology to become part of transport policy and planning. As ITS advisor and road finance director for the International Road Federation (IRF) in Geneva, Caroline Visser is well placed to evaluate quantifying the benefits of ITS implementation – a topic about which there is little agreement and even less consistency. She is pressing to get some consistency in the evaluation of ITS deployments through the use of
  • January 25, 2012
    Is machine vision the future of enforcement?
    Leading automated enforcement system suppliers talk about how they see machine vision technology affecting the sector in the coming years