Stakeholders explore innovative solutions to transportation sector - At maiden Driver, Vehicle confab

The maiden International Driver and Vehicle Innovations Conference (IDVIC) took place in Accra yesterday with policy makers, regulators, researchers and other stakeholders in the road transport sector exploring innovative solutions for the evolving transportation industry.

The participants pushed for policy reforms and mainstreaming of technologies that would accommodate the revolution in the automobile industry.

They also discussed regulatory regimes and energy transition modules for the adoption of electric vehicles in the country.

Conference

Notable personalities, who spoke at the IDVIC conference organised by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), were the African Union High Representative for Silencing the Guns in Africa, Dr Mohammed Ibn Chambas; the Minister of Transport, Kwaku Ofori Asiamah; a Deputy Minister of Energy, Herbert Krapa and the Deputy Minister of Roads and Highways, Thomas Mbomba.

Also in attendance were the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), Yoofi Grant; and the Board Chairman of the DVLA, Frank Davies.

There was a blend of keynote papers, plenary sessions and speeches which centered on three thematic areas - reinvent, innovate and sustain.

Mr Asiamah, who opened the conference, said in preparation towards the revolution in the automobile industry, the government was developing a comprehensive policy to guide the uptake of electric vehicles in the country.

He said the policy was being jointly developed by the ministries of Transport, Energy, Finance, Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI), with support from the Public

Sector Reform for Results project, and intended to promote sustainable transportation and energy transition to help address the climate crisis.

"In developing the policy, we are mindful of the need to ensure inclusiveness, affordability, safety and fairness in the provision of incentives.

These are the principles of the electric vehicle policy," he said.

Mr Asiamah further indicated that given the fast rate at which the automobile industry was transforming, it was important for the DVLA to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into the driver and vehicle regimes because it held enormous potential as the country transitioned to the era of electric and driverless vehicles.

"Everybody can enhance vehicle safety by detecting and preventing road traffic crashes and ultimately improve the overall driving experience," he said. 

 Good initiative

Dr Chambas described the IDVIC as a proactive and timely initiative since it was being held at a time countries were grappling with the challenges of integrated city transportation, growing population and the climate crisis.

He stressed that effective transport system must be prioritised because apart from promoting sustainable development, it also helped to reduce traffic and take off, rickety vehicles.

"Reliable roads, qualified drivers and safe vehicles are key to improved road transmission sector and must not be managed by old-fashioned technologies," he said.

Dr Chambas called for mindset change that shifted towards adaptation to change and cutting edge technology.

He stressed that in the era of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA), the adoption of up-to-date technology for efficient transportation would promote trade and movement of people across the continent.

"The future of road transportation is digital, sustainable and green, so let us adopt innovation and make judicious use of resources," he said.

Commitment

The DVLA Chief Executive said as the state institution with the mandate to license drivers and vehicles, his outfit would continue to embrace change and foster a culture of innovation to be on top of the game.

“The driver and vehicle licensing landscape is evolving with remarkable speed, from digital licences and vehicle registration to automated testing and data-driven decision-making.

“To lead effectively in this environment, we must encourage our teams to explore new frontiers, experiment with emerging technologies, and remain agile in our response to evolving needs,” he stressed.

Mr Busia called for cross-sector collaboration and unity of purpose among stakeholders in the transport sector to help address the challenges in driver and vehicle licensing management.