Autonomous Vehicles

Policy Statement 

1. The VFF believes that the development and adoption of autonomous vehicle technology presents a significant opportunity for innovation within Australian agriculture. 
2. Recognising the significant regulatory reform required to adopt autonomous technologies, a nationally consistent reform agenda will play an important role in supporting innovation. 
3. State and Federal Governments should incentivise and streamline the processes for automated vehicle trials.
4.  Jurisdictions should share the learnings and outcomes of trials to avoid duplication and increase jurisdictional knowledge. 
5. To ensure future technologies and regulatory reform is fit-for-purpose for Australian agriculture, it is critical trials are conducted regarding the unique requirements of agricultural machinery and operating in regional remote Australia. 
6. Trials should take a whole-of-journey approach, considering non-technological issues such as infrastructure, native vegetation on the side of the roads. 
7. Cross-border trials between jurisdictions are crucial for the long-term success and commercialisation of autonomous vehicles. 
8. Autonomous vehicles must be considered in the design of future infrastructure, including digital connectivity. 
9. Jurisdictions should develop road maps for transitioning existing infrastructure to meet the needs of autonomous vehicles. 
10. Whilst on road autonomous technology is still being developed, jurisdictions should develop guidance for manually moving autonomous agricultural machinery on the road. 
11. Australian can play a key role in the developing the technology.