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Consensus is growing within Australia’s transport technology sector that frontline safety, equitable funding models and AI-enabled service delivery are top tier priorities for national reform.
This emerging theme stood out at Roads, Tolling & Tech 2025, hosted by ITS Australia, where over 140 professionals from government, industry and academia gathered to explore the future of infrastructure funding, digital integration, and intelligent mobility.
The two-day event was supported by the Victorian Department of Transport and Planning as the state host sponsor alongside major sponsors Kapsch, SICE, Transurban and Vitronic and with representation from leading transport technology providers such as Q-Free and Neology.
Intelligent transport systems in Australia are reported by Austrade to have grown into a $5 billion industry over the last decade, with ongoing public and private investment in digital tolling, data-driven network management, and automated vehicle trials. Although not in doubt, the conference demonstrated that this growth is accelerating, along with the complexity of the challenges.
Throughout the event, the issue of equitable funding remained front and centre. With fuel excise revenue in long-term decline and EV adoption climbing, the need for a new national model of road user charging (RUC) was widely acknowledged.
Deloitte Partner Susan Brown highlighted the potential for national-level digital infrastructure supporting road user charging to solve for decades-old challenges.
“We’re dealing with transport funding and compliance systems that are 40 years old; many of them still built around paper-based processes. We’ve delayed modernisation because they weren’t visibly broken. But now the cost and risk of inaction are too great. Like healthcare, this infrastructure underpins everything. It needs investment,” Ms Brown said.
“If we were to actually engage with the data and technology available to us today, we could deliver a seamless, integrated, and secure system that proactively serves citizens and adapts to emerging needs. That’s not just possible; it’s essential.
“Its pretty exciting when you start looking at these trends and realise what we could actually achieve with smart infrastructure and smart vehicles in this country. We’re regulating a $164 billion industry with outdated systems. “If we can harness the technology available to us today, we can build something seamless, integrated, and driven by data; something that evolves with our needs and genuinely serves our citizens.”
“If we were to actually engage with the data and technology available to us today, we could deliver a seamless, integrated, and secure system that proactively serves citizens and adapts to emerging needs. That’s not just possible; it’s essential. "
Susan Brown / Deloitte Partner
Co-founder and CEO of Compass IoT Emily Bobis emphasised that social license is a necessary precursor to broadbase rollout of already proven technologies.
“We use connected vehicle data insights to help transport professionals build better, safer, more resilient cities,” Ms Bobis said.
“Historically, that meant broad pattern analysis, but now we’re moving into real-time, VIN-level intelligence that can directly support safer roads and smarter pricing. The tech exists, the insights are there, and the challenge now is creating trust and consistency so we can apply them meaningfully.”
While traveller safety remains a longstanding priority, an emerging theme from attendees was the need for similar systemic attention on frontline and maintenance worker safety, particularly given the rise in remote and technology-assisted operations.
Sessions also delved into the practical realities of implementation, covering everything from smartphone-based tracking and GDPR-compliant data systems to cross-border enforcement and freight industry trials.
Speakers from Australia, New Zealand, and Europe offered perspectives on what works, what doesn’t, and what must be adapted to local contexts. Among them was Silje Troseth, Vice President APAC & General Manager Australia at Q-Free, who has been advising on the national RUC rollout for Denmark’s Ministry of Finance.
“It’s often not the technology; it’s the policy, the acceptability, and the social licence,” said Ms. Troseth. “What’s changed now is that the financial cliff edge is real. We need to get ahead of it with public trust, simplicity, and strong governance. Otherwise, we’ll see great solutions stall before they start.”
Silje Troseth / Vice President APAC & General Manager Australia at Q-Free
“It’s often not the technology; it’s the policy, the acceptability, and the social licence,” said Ms. Troseth. “What’s changed now is that the financial cliff edge is real. We need to get ahead of it with public trust, simplicity, and strong governance. Otherwise, we’ll see great solutions stall before they start.”
Ms. Troseth emphasised that “without social licence, RUC will struggle to scale. Bringing the public on the journey — explaining the link between road use, funding, and infrastructure — is essential for long-term success.”
Digital system design also featured prominently across the program. Topics included AI-enhanced customer service, tokenised payments, the Essential Eight cybersecurity standards, and real-time data exchange between public agencies and private operators. The message across these sessions was clear: intelligent transport solutions must be designed not only to work, but to work together, as a coherent ecosystem.
One of the most consistent takeaways from the event was the need for cross-sector forums to test assumptions, build shared language, and identify gaps.
ITS Australia CEO Susan Harris reinforced this point in her closing remarks, noting that while the pace of change is rapid, the industry has never been better placed to lead.
“We’re seeing a willingness to engage with complexity,” Ms Harris said. “These aren’t just tech problems or policy problems; they’re system-wide.
“We want a vibrant industry that’s connected, competitive, and able to innovate. We’re working to support our members not only through events like this, but by creating shared opportunities to build trust in the technology, engage communities, and bring great solutions to all Australians, not just those in big cities.
“It’s a growing, thriving space, and we’re proud to play a role in shaping it. Conferences like this create the space to connect across industry, government and academia, and ultimately to find practical ways forward.”
“We want a vibrant industry that’s connected, competitive, and able to innovate. We’re working to support our members not only through events like this, but by creating shared opportunities to build trust in the technology, engage communities, and bring great solutions to all Australians, not just those in big cities."
Susan Harris / ITS Australia CEO
Upcoming ITS Australia Events
Mobility 2025 Conference
15–16 May 2025, Sydney, NSW
A pivotal platform for shared mobility, payment systems, and sustainable transport innovations
ITS Australia Summit 2025
19–21 November 2025, Gold Coast, QLD
The nation’s flagship ITS event—bringing together government, academia, and industry to showcase next-generation transport tech
For more information on upcoming events: its-australia.com.au/events
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