How will autonomous vehicles integrate into European society?
In the United States, talk of driverless cars and their expected arrival on the roads is booming. Companies are competing to be the first ones to introduce the technology to the consumer, and without tight regulations, these cars have been allowed to test on real streets.
While the advancements are impressive, there is still a long way to go before the tech is truly road-ready. Most importantly, they must be proven to prevent collisions and potentially fatal injuries after a car accident. Sadly, this rush to the top has recently led to the worst case scenario being realized: a pedestrian was struck and killed while a driverless car was being tested.
In Europe, the process has been moving at a much slower pace. This is due to the region’s stricter controls, as many countries have been reluctant to allow these vehicles to operate on actual public streets.
Instead, testing is relegated to private roads, or allowed with the caveat that cars stick to slow speeds. Additionally, the technology that is being developed is targeted more towards the public, rather than private, sphere.
The European Approach to Driverless Tech
There’s a distinct lack of European-based technology and auto companies that are looking to develop the same type of autonomous vehicle that North American companies are. The major U.S. competitors, like Google and Uber, don’t seem to be having much luck entering these foreign markets. That can be credited to the fact that most major auto companies are looking to create technology for and collect data on the individual user, while European cities are interested in making advancements available to a much wider market.
The United Kingdom
With regards to driverless cars, the United Kingdom has shown the most interest of the European countries. The government has been heavily investing in the technology, and predictions are being made that self-driving trucks may soon appear on UK highways. The city of London is also looking to develop an autonomous bus system.
However, before any of this is made possible, legislation needs to be properly developed. It’s expected that later this year, regulators will allow hands-free driving on roads for the first time.
Germany
Regulating driverless cars is also a top priority for the German government. Regulators have agreed that protecting humans from injury or death is the most important thing, regardless of damage done to animals or property. With many top automakers like Volkswagen and BMW based in the country and already investing in the technology, safety is expected to be a top priority.
France
France has also joined the market for self-driving vehicles. A few years ago, Paris introduced driverless shuttles that ferried passengers across a bridge to get between two train stations. This testing has allowed the city to declared their intentions of having driverless busses on the road by the 2024 Olympics. For this event, the autonomous vehicles are expected to be able to shuttle visitors along the River Seine.
The city sees another major advantage to developing driverless vehicles: a dramatic reduction in their carbon footprint. As the home of the Paris Climate Agreement, the Olympic bid committee predicted that 100% of spectators will use this new public transport.
Poland
In Poland, the city of Jaworzno has put a legal framework in place that will allow them to optimize the city for autonomous vehicles. The city decided to make this advancement preemptively, knowing that driverless tech would one day be widespread. This will allow them to develop the proper legislation, as well as provide the opportunity to prepare for the arrival of autonomous vehicles.
While European cities are certainly more cautious than their American counterparts when it comes to approaching driverless technology, it seems that everyone is excited by the prospect of being able to sit back and relax en route to their destination.
At the moment, legislation is the main focus. Once proper precautions and checks are put in place, cities worldwide will begin to see the ecological, social, and economic benefits of driverless cars.
