New Zealand test market for driverless cars?

Associate transport minister Tim Macindoe has opened the door to New Zealand becoming a testing ground for driverless cars.

Macindoe revealed the Government is already is in talks with an autonomous carmaker about coming to New Zealand for a pilot project, he told the International Transport Forum summit in Germany.

A feature of New Zealand law means a vehicle doesn’t have to have a driver, the NZ Herald

reports.

“We may be able to make it smoother for some companies to come into our country and test their vehicles.”

Automated vehicles could encourage ride sharing and ease congestion, he says.

One trial using a driverless van is already underway on roads at Christchurch Airport.