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European Union (EU) transport ministers have agreed to take action to make autonomous driving a reality across the 28-nation bloc.
The Amsterdam Declaration was signed by the ministers during an informal meeting of the Transport Council on April 14 in Amsterdam.
The declaration outlines the steps necessary for the development of self-driving technology in the EU. In the document, the Netherlands, the European Commission, EU member states and the transport industry pledged to draw up rules and regulations that will allow autonomous vehicles to be used on the roads.
Specifically, they agreed to:
- promote a consistent legal framework for driverless driving throughout Europe
- develop a policy to deal with connected and automated-vehicle data
- work toward an internationally compatible vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure system
- cooperate to ensure cyber security
- increase acceptance of connected and automated vehicle technologies
“Our industry welcomes the Declaration of Amsterdam as an important milestone that promotes much-needed cooperation between automobile manufacturers, national governments and the EU institutions,” said Erik Jonnaert, secretary general of the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA).
Wiliam K.
I am still waiting to hear the very first words about who is legally responsible for the actions of a fully automated car, such as those so highly touted for the ride-sharing concept where the car would drop off one rider and proceed to where it would pick up the next rider. Who is legally responsible when an empty vehicle is driving under computer control? And who gets the ticket when it is found to be disrupting the traffic flow?