Skip to main content

Toward a driverless future

On 10 December, Elżbieta Bieńkowska, European Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, took a part in the presentation of a fully autonomous car at Munich airport. The event was designed to highlight the role that driverless cars could play in enabling safer and more efficient vehicles, while also addressing legislative and consumer challenges posed by this new technology. The event coincided with the launch of the new European Commission high level group for the automotive
December 11, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
On 10 December, Elżbieta Bieńkowska, European Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, took a part in the presentation of a fully autonomous car at Munich airport. The event was designed to highlight the role that driverless cars could play in enabling safer and more efficient vehicles, while also addressing legislative and consumer challenges posed by this new technology.

The event coincided with the launch of the new European Commission high level group for the automotive sector, bringing together all relevant stakeholders. Gear 2030, which aims to develop recommendations to reinforce the competitiveness and tackle the main challenges the automotive sector will face in the next ten years. Automation, in particular, is a major trend that will be looked at by Gear 2030 as it will strengthen the sector by enabling safer and more efficient vehicle. Legislative hurdles, infrastructure investments and product liability issues, to name a few, are all key aspects that need resolution before the sector is able to put autonomous vehicles on the market.

Bieńkowska said: “Driverless cars represent a new opportunity for the mobility of Europeans and the competitiveness of European automotive industry. However, there must be careful thought into creating the best framework as this technology becomes a reality and users must be at the heart of this deployment.”

Related Content

  • Advanced telematics and integration to revolutionise global connected car market
    May 22, 2015
    Advanced infotainment systems, over-the-air (OTA) updates, big data analytics, mobility services and in-car security are key technologies that will shape the global connected car market in 2015. Human machine interface (HMI) input and output solutions, as well as, heads up display (HUD) are set to take centre stage. However, car makers must create consumer-centric HMI solutions that will strike a balance between reducing driver distraction and meeting consumer need for connected services. New analysis f
  • MaaS Market Conference examines transportation’s new options
    January 9, 2018
    Second MaaS Market conference highlights pilots and fledgling services from around the world. That a revolution in the provision of transport services is underway is no longer in doubt. The only uncertainties are the precise form that revolution will take; who will be the winners and losers; and how long it will be before it takes root. Driven by passionate advocates of Mobility as a Service or – MaaS – a wide range of projects and different approaches are being developed worldwide. It is that move from
  • LiDAR sets its sights on future problems
    February 23, 2017
    AAdvances in LiDAR are helping transport authorities improve services and identify potential problem areas, as geospatial technology expert Dr Neil Slatcher explains. The effects of climate change on the transport infrastructure have long been a cause of concern within the transportation sector - and not only on the structures themselves but also on the surrounding areas. This year, those concerns have become reality with landslides, structural collapses and surfacing issues impacting services across the wo
  • Q&A: Why has Almaviva bought Iteris?
    January 17, 2025
    US-based ITS sector veteran Iteris has been bought for $335m by Italian digital specialist Almaviva. But who exactly is the new owner and what does it want? Adam Hill finds out…