Police jobs under threat from self-driving cars

Police highway patrols could soon become obsolete in Australia, according to a new report from the National Transport Commission (NTC).

As part of a series of research papers released by the NTC, titled Land Transport Regulation 2040, several future scenarios were predicted by the government-funded body, including the proliferation of autonomous cars on Australian roads in 25 years' time.

As data collection intensifies and automated vehicles become the norm, "there may become an emerging need for increased back-office focus on system integrity audits and data management system licensing, rather than on-road enforcement," reads the research paper.

The transport network forecast, which took the 40-strong NTC team 12-months to compile, predicts big changes to the way road laws are enforced.

"Indeed, with automated vehicles on our roads that are each equipped with a full array of sensors and detectors, there may be little need for on-road enforcement at all," the paper continues.

"Each and every automated vehicle could stream footage and other data of illegal or unsafe behaviour direct to enforcement personnel."

If this research holds water, it would mean that highway patrol police would no longer be necessary. It even hypothesises that liability for any road law infringements would be "partially or fully held by the service provider (rather than the driver)".

Swedish car maker Volvo and now German car maker Audi – two of the leaders in the autonomous car field – have both confirmed they'll accept liability.

The paper also suggests that hackers will be public enemy number one, not speeders or tailgaters.

"Perhaps the law would focus on ensuring the framework for data sharing and secure, interoperable transmission of private data is robust, rather than on road offences."

The research papers released by the NTC coincide with the Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) World Congress, held in Melbourne, Australia. Covering four major pillars – automation, shared mobility, data availability and changing consumer demands – the paper was released to inform future government policy.

NTC chief executive, Paul Retter, said Australia will undergo immense change in transport over the next few decades – in rail as well as automotive – and that this paradigm shift will bring uncertainty, albeit short-lived.

"Different sectors of the economy and the regulations that guide them go through long periods of stability followed by short periods of significant change," he said.

The NTC boss says the Land Transport Regulation 2040 papers will help governments and transport authorities respond to "opportunities and challenges" expected to arise from the fast-paced introduction of new technologies.

"For us this work will help us develop reform projects to make sure we have the right kinds of transport laws at each stage of this period of transformational change."

It remains to be seen whether the wide-spread take-up of autonomous cars would put an end to speed cameras in Australia, along with the hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue they raise for State governments every year.

Images: Bidgee, Chris Keating via Wikipedia