Special Report: The coming transport revolution in Latin America and the Caribbean (ISSN 17414474)

It may be imagined that the coming transport revolution will allow the LAC region to take a ‘short-cut’, overcoming the obstacles currently posed by an inadequate transport infrastructure. Technology may indeed ease some problems. Drones may make deliveries to isolated rural areas reducing the need to build access roads. The combination of city-based robotaxis, high quality broadband connections, and remote working may ease traffic and transport bottlenecks. But despite these possible advantages it seems realistic to assume that the existing physical transport infrastructure deficit – the lack of sufficient roads, railway lines, ports, and airports – is going to remain a major challenge for the region over at least the next 10-20 years. The transport revolution may deliver increased efficiency, but to capture those gains countries need to have a minimum level of physical infrastructure in place.