The President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen threw a glove, calling the EU nations to accept the “first instance” strategy in the automotive sector, with self -propelled cars.
Speaking at the Italian week of Tech in Turin, she stated that if the US and China are already flowing with autonomous vehicles, Europe should not be left in a free lane, as stated in Her latest call to act.
Her rally scream appears as manufacturers of the continent's car – such as Volkswagen, Renault and Fiat – supporting the technological fee under the leadership of Tesla in the USA and the wave of innovative EV startups in China.
It's not just about prestige; On the line there are jobs, safety and European industrial spine.
It is striking how EU ambitions are in line with wider global changes. Just a few days ago The United Nations has strengthened its warnings About the urgent need for international handrails of artificial intelligence, emphasizing the risk from autonomous weapons to biased algorithms.
Cars may seem less dangerous than drones, but everyone who was on the highway mission knows how high the rates are.
The plan of von der Leyen includes a network of European cities ready for the host pilot projects – 60 Italian mayors have already registered.
Imagine Rome, Milan and Turin as live laboratories, in which buses, taxis and private cars drive ai-private cars.
This is ambitious, yes, but also reminds us when Europe once dared to lead in space and air.
Meanwhile, the scale of development in Asia is stunning China is now home to over 5,300 AI enterprisesMany already experiment with transport systems that can redefine global standards.
For comparison, Europe has talent and heritage, but the risk of losing the race if bold moves are not tailored to financing and consistent regulations.
On the other side of the Atlantic, American companies cross borders in other ways.
For example, Opeli looks beyond the equipment software, planning New Family of Devices This can completely define the interaction of human computers.
The lesson here is clear: Innovations do not wait for the regulatory authorities to catch up.
However, the greater question is cultural. Do Europeans trust AI behind the wheel? The region known for the romance of Ferraris and Porsches may resist transferring control to the algorithm.
But von der Leyen insists that “AI means safety first.” Vision is less accidents, cleaner cities and works that evolve and do not disappear.
Personally, I think this is a moment of Europe. It is sloppy, is risky, but it is also necessary.
Because if the future of mobility is written elsewhere, Europe will not lose the industry – it may lose a piece of its identity.
