Driverless taxis, automated freight vehicles and drone deliveries are moving from concept to reality in markets around the world, raising questions about how Australia should prepare for the next generation of transport.
According to the Centre for Connected and Automated Transport (CCAT), robotaxi services are now available through selected operators in 15 US cities and 20 Chinese cities, with services also emerging in the Middle East and supervised trials underway in the UK.
Fully driverless trucks are supporting deliveries for major retailers in the US, while automated buses are operating or being trialled on public roads in Japan, the UK and Europe.
The experiences of those markets will be the focus of CCAT International 2026, a conference bringing international and Australian experts together to discuss the opportunities and challenges of connected and automated transport.
CCAT Executive Director Rahila David said Australia could learn from overseas deployments as it considers its own approach.
“Australia can’t future proof its transport system alone,” David said. “These technologies are being deployed around the world. Understanding their benefits, real-world performance and remaining challenges will help ensure we are ready for the safe and effective introduction of these technologies to our transport system.”
Lessons for Australian fleets
For fleet managers, the development of automated transport raises questions that extend beyond the technology in the vehicle.
How will automated vehicles interact with other road users? What infrastructure and regulatory settings will they need? And how will organisations manage safety, maintenance and public confidence as the technology becomes more widely available?
The conference will explore topics including robotaxi deployments, community acceptance, automated vehicle regulation, connected infrastructure, mass transit, freight automation and advanced aerial mobility.
Speakers from the United States, Canada, Europe, the United Kingdom, China, Japan and India will share lessons from deployments and trials in their markets.
Confirmed international speakers include representatives from Uber, WeRide, Honda, Tier IV, Gatik, Aurrigo, Plus, Volvo and the UK’s Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles.
They will be joined by Australian representatives from organisations including Main Roads WA, the National Transport Commission, Intelematics, ITS Australia, Seeing Machines, Queensland University of Technology and Airservices Australia.
A global view from Australia
CCAT International 2026 takes place across three Wednesdays starting November 18. The conference will be held online, with an in-person hybrid option in Melbourne on the third day. A single registration covers all three days.
For fleet operators, the event offers an opportunity to hear how connected and automated transport is being introduced overseas and consider what those experiences could mean for Australian operations.
