With road trauma claiming more than 1300 lives each year, Australia’s current approach to road safety isn’t working. Every day, more than three Australians die on our roads, a toll that experts say could be dramatically reduced through connected and automated technology that is already being deployed overseas. Now, Australian governments and industry have collaborated to deliver a national vision that realises the safety benefits of connected and automated transport.

The culmination of this collaboration and broad public consultation is the National Future Transport Summit, which will bring together top minds from across the globe to shape a safer, more productive and sustainable transport future on 17-18 September at Brisbane City Hall. The Summit is proudly sponsored by Brisbane City Council, underscoring its leadership in delivering the transport and infrastructure needs of a growing international city.

Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said Brisbane was proud to host this important Summit to help address road safety.

“I’m committed to keeping Brisbane moving, which is why we’re investing in our roads, city-shaping infrastructure and smart technology to ease congestion and help people get home sooner and safer,” Cr Schrinner said.

“Brisbane is Australia’s lifestyle capital, so there’s no better place to host this important Summit, which brings road safety leaders together to collaborate on the future of transport.”

The Summit will focus not only on efficiencies and safety for everyday Australians, but also on the infrastructure and transport opportunities presented by major national milestones like the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

A pivotal opportunity for national leadership

The Summit is being delivered by a consortium of more than 100 organisations including national peak bodies, government transport and infrastructure agencies, academic and research institutes and leading Australian and international companies. The consortium and the Summit are convened by the Centre for Connected and Automated Transport (CCAT), who have also coordinated the public consultation process to inform the development of the recommendations that will be debated and agreed upon at the Summit.

Despite numerous safety campaigns, Australia's road toll remains stubbornly high, with human error a factor contributing to over 90% of serious crashes. But emerging technologies – from vehicle-to-vehicle communication and automated emergency braking to fully driverless systems – offer the potential to prevent thousands of deaths and serious injuries.

“This is our chance to step up as a nation” said Brook Hall, Executive Director of the Centre for Connected and Automated Transport. “We can’t accept the current road toll as inevitable. This

Summit is about designing a system where safety is built in, one that supports safety for drivers, passengers, pedestrians and future generations.”

A summit with purpose: delivering a national blueprint

The Summit isn’t just another event. It’s a moment of historic significance where attendees will actively contribute to a set of national recommendations that will form the blueprint for Australia’s future transport system.

The agreed recommendations will be presented directly to Australia’s transport ministers and inform broader government action at both federal and state levels.

Besides safety, the Summit will respond to the urgent national themes of productivity, sustainability, social legitimacy and infrastructure.

With an impressive lineup of Australian and international experts, the Summit offers a unique platform for meaningful discussion and cross-sector collaboration. The Summit program will be delivered by ABC National Political Lead and host of ‘Insiders’, David Speers, who will MC the event and moderate the recommendation debates. Other speakers include:

· Richard Willder, Global Head of Autonomous Policy, Uber

· Simon Kustenmacher, The Demographics Group

· Sally Stannard, Director General, Qld Department of Transport and Main Roads

· Councillor Andrew Wines, Brisbane City Council

…and more to be announced.

Beyond keynotes and debates, the Summit features interactive workshops and targeted networking, designed to drive practical, aligned outcomes. Attendees won’t just listen, they’ll help write the next chapter in Australian transport policy.

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