Get ready for driverless TTC vehicles: Councillor
By Shawn Jeffords, Political Bureau Chief
First posted: Sunday, June 05, 2016 04:45 PM EDT | Updated: Sunday, June 05, 2016 10:31 PM EDT
Call it the rise of the machines.
And Councillor Michelle Holland wants Toronto’s transit system to be ready, as driverless vehicles are on the verge of breaking into the transportation network.
“A lot of times in government, we’re very reactionary,” she said. “With technology, it’s all about the velocity of change.”
Holland will call on city council this week to urge the TTC to develop a plan to incorporate the new technology into its operations.
“How will it impact us? Where will it impact us?” said Holland. “What can we do with regulations so that we’re not reacting like we did during the Uber debate?”
Holland noted there are examples from around the world in which civic leaders have made advances in dealing with driverless vehicles.
“The City of Beverly Hills in California has not been particularly known for public transit in the past but it is looking to incorporate automated buses to pick up passengers which will then connect them to new rapid transit lines in the area,” she said in a motion to city council.
“It is essential that with the current pace of technological change that the City of Toronto’s public transit system properly prepare for the use of these new technologies.”
Councillor Shelley Carroll, a TTC commissioner, said the transit agency will have driverless vehicles in some of its future lines.
It’s a good idea to plan ahead and also take into account how autonomous personal vehicles will impact transit use, she said.
They’re going to radically change how we plan transit,” added Carroll. “They’ll also radically change how we plan the technological infrastructure.”
Carroll said some will worry that driverless vehicles will put TTC operators out of work. But that isn’t necessarily the case, she said.
“On certain lines, it only makes sense. And while yes, it takes an operator out of the vehicle, it doesn’t end the use of transit as a job builder. Driverless trains don’t mean there won’t be humans involved any more. It just changes what they’re doing.”
TTC spokesman Brad Ross said no work has yet been done on using driverless transit vehicles.
sjeffords@postmedia.com
Get ready for driverless TTC vehicles: Councillor | Toronto & GTA | News | Toron
By Shawn Jeffords, Political Bureau Chief
First posted: Sunday, June 05, 2016 04:45 PM EDT | Updated: Sunday, June 05, 2016 10:31 PM EDT
Call it the rise of the machines.
And Councillor Michelle Holland wants Toronto’s transit system to be ready, as driverless vehicles are on the verge of breaking into the transportation network.
“A lot of times in government, we’re very reactionary,” she said. “With technology, it’s all about the velocity of change.”
Holland will call on city council this week to urge the TTC to develop a plan to incorporate the new technology into its operations.
“How will it impact us? Where will it impact us?” said Holland. “What can we do with regulations so that we’re not reacting like we did during the Uber debate?”
Holland noted there are examples from around the world in which civic leaders have made advances in dealing with driverless vehicles.
“The City of Beverly Hills in California has not been particularly known for public transit in the past but it is looking to incorporate automated buses to pick up passengers which will then connect them to new rapid transit lines in the area,” she said in a motion to city council.
“It is essential that with the current pace of technological change that the City of Toronto’s public transit system properly prepare for the use of these new technologies.”
Councillor Shelley Carroll, a TTC commissioner, said the transit agency will have driverless vehicles in some of its future lines.
It’s a good idea to plan ahead and also take into account how autonomous personal vehicles will impact transit use, she said.
They’re going to radically change how we plan transit,” added Carroll. “They’ll also radically change how we plan the technological infrastructure.”
Carroll said some will worry that driverless vehicles will put TTC operators out of work. But that isn’t necessarily the case, she said.
“On certain lines, it only makes sense. And while yes, it takes an operator out of the vehicle, it doesn’t end the use of transit as a job builder. Driverless trains don’t mean there won’t be humans involved any more. It just changes what they’re doing.”
TTC spokesman Brad Ross said no work has yet been done on using driverless transit vehicles.
sjeffords@postmedia.com
Get ready for driverless TTC vehicles: Councillor | Toronto & GTA | News | Toron
