According to Sydney University’s professor of Robotics and Intelligent Systems Salah Sukkarieh, “We have a labor shortage in the areas we want them, in agriculture, mining, and other primary industries. Most of the population likes living along the coastline, along the beach.”
Therein lies the problem – with the solution of using robots to actually being sent out, so that they will be able to get the job done wherever humans are averse to do so. For instance, a self-drive fleet comes in handy, offering superior fuel usage, tire life and maintenance costs because there is no reason for one to step on the pedal and burn more fuel than required. It could very well be this reason that Australia happens to be right at the forefront of field robotics.