Canada trails other nations in driverless vehicle tech: report

Policymakers urged to fast-track research, regulation to spur growth

Canada is lagging behind when it comes to autonomous vehicle technology development and adoption and must fast-track policy to spur innovation that could potentially add thousands of high-skilled jobs to the economy, according to a report released Thursday.

The report by the Ottawa-based Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC), titled, Autonomous Vehicles and the Future of Work in Canada, says there needs to be greater integration between policymakers, industry and academic experts in order to facilitate investment in autonomous vehicle technology in Canada “at a rate closer to our international competitors.”

“While Canada has pioneered some important technological developments in the past ... in comparison to its international counterparts, Canada is currently lagging behind in AV technology development and adoption,” reads the report, which was funded by the Canadian government’s sectoral initiatives program.

“With moderate pace of technological development among Canada’s (small and mediumsized enterprises) coupled with the slow movement of discussion on the topic, much work is needed to get Canada near the level of the world’s key AV players.”

The report estimates that Canada’s connected and autonomous vehicle industries could see a growth of 34,700 jobs by 2021 — more than double the average growth rate seen across the Canadian economy. By 2035, the global market for autonomous vehicles is expected to reach $77 billion.

“Given this increased demand, along with the growth and implementation of connected and autonomous vehicle technology, it is crucial that we take steps now in order to ensure that Canada remains competitive in this quickly developing and revolutionary field,” the report says.

Namir Anani, president and chief executive of the ICTC, said while Canada has made strides in the past year with new autonomous vehicle testing, there are many areas where technology and policy could be fast-tracked to spur growth in the field and potentially attract direct foreign investment. For example, Anani said Canada should fast-track spectrum auctions for fifth-generation mobile technology — something he says is a key “lifeline” in enabling innovation for autonomous vehicles.

Canada could also accelerate the deployment of a regulatory framework when it comes to testing autonomous vehicles. In 2016, Ontario was the first province that allows on-road testing of automated vehicles, Anani said.

The Ontario government announced this week it is proposing to change the rules of its 10-year automated vehicle pilot project to allow for driverless testing. Currently, the testing of fully autonomous vehicles is only allowed with a driver behind the wheel, but the government is seeking public comment on a proposal to scrap that requirement.

The proposed automated vehicle changes also include allowing members of the public to drive vehicles that are less than fully automated — capable of driving automatically in limited scenarios — once they are available for purchase.

“Fast-tracking is going to be important because Canada’s terrain, geography and also climate is different than other countries,” Anani said. “We need to pave the way for testing in Canada.”

The report noted that while Ontario leads the way with automated vehicle testing, notable plans are being put forth in B.C. and Alberta.

The Senate’s Transportation and Communications Committee is studying the issues that need to be addressed so Canada can bring driverless cars to the roads. In late October, the committee had conducted witness panels for its report, which has yet to be released.

“In essence, it is a growing market globally and we need to position ourselves as a country — quite rapidly — to take advantage in this arena,” Anani said.

The report makes five recommendations, including that policymakers work with industry experts and other groups to further research about autonomous vehicles and smart city development. The report also recommends that policymakers, in combination with experts, should work on furthering research.