Driverless cars to be rolled out on roads in next few years: Fawad

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Science and Technology Chaudhry Fawad Hussain on Tuesday said that self-driving cars will be rolled out on public roads in the Pakistan in next few years, under the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government plans to ensure all road users understand these latest technologies.

Talking to a private news channel, Fawad said Science and Technology Ministry was committed to introducing latest technology in every field and in next few years a driver less cars will also be introduced in country which is already in ministry's plan.

Self-driving cars could reduce road deaths in the country by 90%, he assured.

He said Pakistan has all the pieces of infrastructure in place to welcome technology with open arms, adding, Google is near the final stages of testing for its autonomous car programme for hassle-free motorway driving..

He also stressed that equipping the police force with the latest technology was the greatest need of the time, not just to improve efficiency, but also to gain confidence of the general public.

Minister said that in the era of social media and the speed at which information was currently shared, police must become earlier adopters of new technology in order to stay informed and continue to lead the communities they serve.

He said in a technologically advanced world where crimes have become more organized and fatal, governments have to be more proactive in order to counter wrong-doers and offenders and for that, modern technology has become the main pre-requisite.

He said the technology must be supportive of the governments in achieving good governance and bringing effectiveness and competence in their workings.

Talking about clean drinking water project which recently announced, he said Science and Technology Ministry has launched its very own mineral water scheme to slash costs at government offices.

The Pakistan Council of Research and Water Resources (PCRWR) has prepared a 500ml water bottle named “Safe Drinking Water”, the minister said.

In the first phase, Chaudhry said, it will be introduced at government offices after which it will be made available to the general public.

He said the PCRWR has collected water samples from around the country for the survey, adding that the ratio of salts in the water was examined in the survey.

He said ministry was introducing a system where on tehsil level government will build water treatment plants with the help of private companies.

Fawad Chaudhry said these plants would be established with easy installments loans to people so that cheap and safe drinking water could be available throughout the country.

He said almost 70 percent people were spending on health because of containment water issue which was badly neglected in the past governments, Pakistan’s water woes can largely be bifurcated into issues of quality and quantity.

Fawad explained that the water coming into our systems over the past decades hasn’t changed much, adding, but demand has soared due to an exponential rise in population.

However, Ministry of Science and Technology under the government umbrella with the help of PCRWR will soon provide cheat rate water for citizens.

Minister said that the step has been taken in light of the government’s austerity measures, adding, this bottled water will be a cheaper alternative to the mineral water that is currently available at government offices, he said.

The bottled water, called the ‘Safe Drinking Water, will cost Rs1 per litre, the federal minister mentioned.

Replying to a question, he said Ministry of Science and Technology will not disappoint our mineral water companies as well, adding, we will work with the collaboration of private mineral companies.

He assured, "We will also provide plastic free water bottles to the common people as plastic bottle were harmful for health of public.

He said in all government offices including Prime Minister Office this water will be served.

Talking about eco-friendly motorcycles and Qingqi rickshaws, he said, "We will also introduce a nationwide electric motorbikes and rickshaws, which will work on battery system to save the energy and environment".

Minister expressed that Pakistan was the largest country in the world using motorbikes and rickshaws whereas the electronic vehicles are the future of transport in this country.

He said the aims to transform the transport of the country into electronic technology where it will run on battery rather than petroleum.

“Changes in electronic technology will reduce carbon in the environment”, added Fawad Chaudhry.

Information Technology Board (PITB) has introduced various projects that turned out to be very successful up till now.

The government also plans to change regulations for universities to make it easier for students to earn multi-disciplinary degrees needed to work in artificial intelligence.