The Infra Finance Breakfast Club held a panel session entitled “Autonomous and Connected Vehicles – Implications and Opportunities for the Infra Investor,” which took place at Shearman & Sterling’s New York office on October 27, 2017. Counsel Paul Epstein (New York-Project Development & Finance) moderated the session. Paul also gave opening remarks in which he highlighted key drivers of the increased global interest in autonomous vehicles (or AVs), including advances in technology, changes in demographic attitudes, the expanding market for electric vehicles and an increased focus on connectivity (or Internet of Things (IoT)) in the auto industry.

The panel included technology executives and consultants, leading transportation policy makers and private equity investors from Black & Veatch, the Canadian Automated Vehicles Centre of Excellence, the NYC Department of Transportation, Transurban and AMP Capital, among others. The interactive session explored the current developments, challenges to implementation and potential impacts (positive and negative) of AVs on cities and existing transportation infrastructure, as well as investment opportunities in various sectors (transportation, telecom and energy) that are anticipated as the market for AVs develops in the coming years.

Over 70 delegates attended the event, including representatives from the banking community, project developers, investors, contractors, technical advisors and rating agencies.