Government: Decoded
Following the installation of automated speed cameras, Toronto has been focused on new road safety initiatives, applying technology to some of its most significant issues. New smart technology has been proposed to reduce congestion on city streets, using intelligent intersections and smart traffic signals to manage gridlock.
Sources say Toronto is also mulling over a sea bus system — think the TTC, but on the water — as the city's newest bridge infrastructure is delivered by way of the Atlantic Ocean. Looking ahead to 2021, the city will have fully autonomous shuttles hitting the street. Rolling along without a driver, the shuttles will reportedly be accessible and host eight passengers at a time, throughout the pilot project.
The pandemic has taught us all that we need to be flexible, and the Ontario government is applying the same logic to court dates. To relieve the legal backlog of tickets, the government ruled that they will not pursue criminal charges on some impaired driving offences. Reportedly, "it would allow prosecutors to settle for a guilty plea to a lesser charge of careless driving, an offence under the Highway Safety Act, instead of pursuing a criminal conviction." Road safety advocates have found a silver lining, recognizing this move prevents cases from being tossed out of court.
While Ontario is finding innovative ways to deal with the court backlog, the federal government is investing heavily in road safety. With an announced $10M in funding for road safety projects to "reduce road-related collisions, injuries and fatalities and encourage harmonization with provincial and territorial road safety initiatives." A regular funding pot, this opportunity is open to government agencies, non-profits, and academia. After the year that 2020 has been, we anticipate road safety campaigns around street racing, safe cycling, and education for all the Ontario drivers who had minimized offences due to COVID-19.
Newsworthy
2020 has been a change-up sort of year for many companies, with new business opportunities and pivots abound. Legacy motorcycle company Harley Davidson has just announced its latest venture: electric bicycles. Hopping on the pedalling trend, Harley Davidson is carving out their share of the $15B industry, which is projected to continue to grow. The most important question from this latest venture remains unanswered — does this mean you can call your new Harley (e)bike a hog?
Tesla is getting closer to the consumer delivery of their Cybertruck, although the date is still TBA. We covered this new electric vehicle's press release last December, and Tesla recently reported that the prototype has undergone a few iterations in the subsequent months. Critics expect something similar to the original prototype, with obvious improvements to the failed "smash-proof" windows. Expect Tesla to deliver — they just made good on a 2018 April Fool's prank, producing a new line of Tesla tequila. The lightning bolt-bottled beverage sold out in hours. Apparently, everyone is pivoting this year.
As technology evolves, the corporate responsibility to keep citizens safe evolves with it. Waymo — Google's autonomous vehicle subsidiary — has just released the safety framework that governs their operations. While policies and procedures may not feel like breaking news, this is a very transparent move for an industry typically shrouded in secrecy. Additionally, the self-driving cars of the future still make some people nervous, the World Economic Forum reports — so a safety-first approach may help companies get the customer buy-in they are after. #AllForSafety? We're all for it.
