The party said it’s “concerned” that autonomous-vehicle startup Gatik began to make fully driverless deliveries for Loblaw without communicating transparently, said Chris Glover, the provincial party’s technology, development and innovation critic, in a statement to The Logic. The party “would like to have seen the government provide details on costs, safety considerations and potential support for workers who may be impacted by the move to driverless cars.” (The Logic)
Talking point: In August, Gatik removed the safety driver from one of its autonomous-vehicle delivery routes for Loblaw after receiving the Ontario Ministry of Transportation’s permission in April. While the truck still carries a passenger and is followed by a chase car, the company plans to remove those in the near future. The companies announced what they billed as the first fully driverless delivery in Canada Wednesday. Glover said in a statement the government needs to communicate openly with the public if Ontario wants to become the continent’s fastest growing tech hub. The Ontario Ministry of Transportation did not respond to The Logic’s request for comment by the time of publication.