A parliamentary committee has made a call for petrol and diesel cars should be phased out.
The committee said Australia’s transport system would benefit from electric and hydrogen cars.
The parliamentary inquiry into automated mass transit was led by 10 members of parliament and made 17 recommendations.
Committee chair John Alexander Bennelong MP said automated and electric vehicles will be “potentially revolutionary” to the transport network, and “will demand vision and leadership from government”.
“Australia could eliminate greenhouse gas emissions related to land transport, reduce noise pollution, make vehicles simpler and safer to operate and maintain, and largely eliminate reliance on fuel imports,” he said in the official report.
“The most important thing the Australian Government can provide to the future development of automated transport and new energy sources is vision,” Mr Alexander said.
The forward of the report stated the automation and electrification of mass transit is a potentially revolutionary development in transport.
The report went on to say: “Transport automation, especially when combined with alternative fuel sources, will have major implications for transport infrastructure. Automated vehicles will require a suitable environment in which to operate—one that they can read and communicate with”.