Annual Report - Australian Automobile Association

PRESIDENT’S ANNUAL REPORT 2001Dr Maxwell LayAs an engineer and historian, with a passion for the history of roadsand vehicles, the Presidency of the AAA has presented me with anopportunity to participate at the highest level in an importantorganisation involved with roads, vehicles and their drivers at afascinating and challenging time.2The fascination is with the changing natureof technology in vehicles and theinformation services to drivers, which isdeveloping with the steady introduction ofIntelligent Transport Systems to improvesafety and efficiency.The challenge is to ensure that the motoringorganisations, as members of the AAA, cancollectively take advantage of the changesnot only with these technologies, but at atime of new alliances, new partnerships toimprove services to members.The first six months have already flown by,and I am pleased to be able to report onAAA’s activities over the past year.My worthy predecessors have reported onthe increasing cooperation between themotoring clubs in Australia over the past fewyears, and indeed throughout the world,enabling us to provide for all Australianmotorists comprehensive and wide-rangingservices. In my visits to clubs aroundAustralia I am pleased to see thiscooperation continue but I have noticed therapid changes in community expectations ofservice providers as well as the many newproducts in the marketplace.I am reminded of the old map makers’ viewof unchartered areas with their descriptionof such as "Here there be dragons".After nearly a century in safe seas, theautomobile clubs are now enteringunchartered oceans. Our traditionalbusinesses are mature, largely commoditisedand have very little chance of maintainingtheir traditional prosperity without radicalrethinking. Tomorrow, do we encounterdragons, or a land of milk and honey?Today’s Australian automobile clubs have along, special and iconic association withroadside assistance. For many motorists thishas been, and continues to be, an essentialpart of their motoring peace of mind. Themajority of motoring Australians belong toone of the Clubs and have great trust inthem and confidence in the services thatthey offer. This trust has been establishedover generations. Although the Clubs