Canada’s Ontario province is welcoming Artificial Intelligence onto their roads in an attempt to get ahead of the autonomous driving revolution that’s sure to sweep over our major cities in the near future.
The project’s start date is January 1, 2016, when Ontario will lead Canada in autonomous vehicle testing, with nearly 100 companies and institutions involved in the project. Those involved will conduct research and development in Ontario rather than in competing jurisdictions, and will support opportunities to bring autonomous cars to the market.
The province is also giving $500,000 to the Ontario Centers of Excellence Connected Vehicle/Automated Vehicle Program, on top of the $2.45 million already provided.
Minister of Transport Steven Del Duca said “In the world of transportation, Ontario has the opportunity to show leadership on automated technology. Today, Ontario is making its claim in the global marketplace by taking the next steps in automated vehicle innovation. The automated vehicle pilot will ensure that the province’s roads remain safe without creating burdens that stifle investment and innovation in Ontario’s dynamic business environment.”
One of the goals is to ensure Ontario’s place as a world leader in these types of technology sectors and investing in public infrastructure is certainly a smart way of getting there.
There’s also a very interesting forecast from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, which says that by the year 2040, autonomous vehicles will account for 75% of all vehicles on the road.
That’s a pretty amazing statistic, especially considering how a couple of years ago we were nowhere near having a timetable for this type of technology taking over the industry.
Story references: Ontario Government
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