U of T presents seminars on future of urban transit

Series of speakers will dig into wide range of auto-related subjects

There are surprises every day at the Canadian International AutoShow, but today promises to be extra special.

As well as more than 1,000 cars and light trucks being exhibited by every manufacturer selling vehicles in Canada, the AutoShow offers extra value in the form of added attractions, such as the Art and the Automobile exhibit, egaming and others.

Today, in the John Bassett Theatre at 12 p.m. (Level 100 of the north building at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre), the University of Toronto Transportation Research Institute will present a seminar on urban transit in the future. A series of speakers — academics, city of Toronto experts and others — will present a series of short, punchy sessions on everything from the “costs of congestion” to how to pay for parking in this digital age.

Following the U of T presen- tation, the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada will present the second annual Innovation Awards, in which Canadian automakers are saluted for their advances in fields such as technology and safety.

This will also take place in the Bassett Theatre.

Each day at the Toronto Star display area, also in the north building but on Level 300, AutoShow Live is held. Lasting from 20 minutes to a half-hour at 12, 2, 4, and 7 p.m., ASL (as it’s called) offers interviews, debates and round-table discussions on automotive issues of the day.

Also today, at 12:15 p.m., host Norris McDonald, a Toronto Star Wheels columnist, will debate former Wheels editor Mark Richardson on whether Ontario drivers should be forced to put winter tires on their vehicles.

Later in the day, additional discussions will involve the University of Waterloo’s research into autonomous vehicles, business opportunities for AVs, and cybersecurity.

That’s today, at the AutoShow.