Transport committee  As I mentioned earlier, we have predicted that with full deployment we can save 80% of collisions and deaths, but not 100%. The technology is not perfectly safe. It never will be—I'm an engineer—but what I feel is that if we delay the deployment of AVs too much, we will delay the benefits of saving those lives.

Transport committee  That's a good question. In terms of resistance, I have two thoughts. First of all is infrastructure. David made the right comment that there are two different kinds of infrastructure. Physical infrastructure is one, and the first commandment over AVs, to my way of thinking, is “thou shalt have no special physical infrastructure”.

Transport committee  I'll make two quick points, as I'm conscious of the time, Madam Chair. One is that I did not suggest, with respect, that we make the cars less safe. What GM is asking for in the U.S., which I support, is making both front seats with the same level of safety, the same number of air bags, as the passenger seat has at the moment.

Transport committee  My testimony to the Senate committee pointed out a metaphor. I think the Canadian federal government is doing a wonderful job on the innovation and research and development file. ISED is doing a wonderful job. That, to me, says the federal government has its foot on the gas pedal.

Transport committee  Indeed, yes. Thank you for the question. First of all, I agree with my colleague here. The big issue for government is that there are three different sectors of the issue, which makes it more complicated. There's the technology, the innovation and research and development. That's moving ahead pretty well at the moment.

Transport committee  I'll talk first, if I may. One of the things I've been saying for about three years is it's very important that any application for funding for new infrastructure, for transportation or transit, include an evaluation of the impact of autonomous vehicles. Anthony Foxx, who was the transportation secretary in the Obama administration, wrote an article, which was published in a magazine, that said full deployment of autonomous and connected vehicles can in fact increase the traffic-carrying capacity by a factor of five, which is huge.

Transport committee  It's a very good question, and I agree with my colleague David Ticoll here. As I said in my testimony, the place to start—and we're both agreed—is the Canadian AV institute. As David said, there's a long list of other things that government should be doing, and for that I refer you back to the white paper we did over three years ago, with 30 recommendations for the federal government.

Transport committee  Thank you, Madam Chair. Good afternoon, and thank you all for the opportunity to testify. I am going to be frank and honest in my comments this afternoon, but I will be polite. In June 2014 the federal government asked the Honourable David Emerson to review the Canada Transportation Act.

Transport committee  Will do.

Transport committee  One of the most honest conversations I had a while back was with one of the municipalities in the GTA. They acknowledged that they had trouble getting their arms around the whole issue of self-driving cars and the impact on their cities. It's huge. It's multi-faceted. One of the things I find exciting is that it's going to affect virtually every aspect of our life—very literally.

Transport committee  Thank you. Again, that's an excellent question. Small towns will find a real benefit in intelligent mobility. A friend of mine has a mother who lives in Arnprior. As many of you know, it is a small town, 100 kilometres to 150 kilometres from here. There's no bus service. My friend's mother is slightly handicapped.

Transport committee  Can I start? In January I submitted to the Government of Ontario a white paper specifically on the creation of four AV innovation centres. I'm waiting for some official feedback on that. I know the Ontario government is very keen on that. Premier Wynne has said she wants that to happen.

Transport committee  That's a great question. The answer is obviously, yes. What form that should take, I'm not quite sure, but you've mentioned some options there. I would also add in parallel with that it needs to have an outreach program. We, in CAVCOE, and a partner of ours in Paris have just responded to a request for proposals from the Government of France.

Transport committee  When you asked the question, my mind went back to that very famous quote from Henry Ford that if you had asked people what they wanted in those days, they would have said “faster horses”. When I talk to people today—and I do a lot of speaking—there are three different responses.

Transport committee  That's an excellent question, and I agree with you. Looking 10 to 15 years ahead, I see, potentially, the end of infrastructure. There's a lot of work going on with the old Jetsons vision of a driverless car. In Europe, Airbus has spoken about its program to develop a pilotless drone to carry people.