New Delhi: Fearing of the automation overtaking jobs from people, Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari said the country won’t have driverless cars and the government will instead focus on cab aggregator platform.
As per the BI report, Gadkari said allowing driverless cars in the country would lead to unemployment and the government plans to train drivers, as adequate driving skills can provide employment to about 50 lakh people.
“We will not allow driverless cars in India. India suffers a huge shortage of 22 lakh drivers…Cab aggregators take advantage of these. We are not going to promote any technology or policy that will render people jobless,” Gadkari said.
He further said the government is planning to introduce a cab aggregator platform where commuters could choose any mode of transportation such as electric four-wheeler taxis or two- wheelers.
“The government will only be a facilitator in this but the platform will bring in more competition and help commuters to have affordable public transportation,” said Gadkari.
Besides, plans were in progress to enhance the public transportation in the country and replace 1.8 lakh buses across the states with luxury buses, the minister added.
“Talks are on with World Bank and Asian Development Bank (ADB) to help India to replicate the London Transport Authority Model where all the public transportation buses would be replaced by luxury buses and a common man can travel in them by paying about 40 per cent less price as compared to current fares,” said the minister.