In a draft initiative report on automatic driving, Wim Van de Camp (EPP, Netherlands), calls on the European Commission to present legislative proposals on this subject for road and other areas of transport.
This initiative report follows the communication on this theme presented by the Commission as part of the third “mobility” package on 17 May last (see EUROPE 12019, 12022). Mr Van de Camp “welcomes” the publication of this document to make the European Union a world leader in connected mobility.
As an inherent factor of concern in automatic driving shared by a number of political figures and civil society groups, the MEP is first of all requesting that the Commission present legislative proposals on data protection and cybersecurity. The MEP also considers that the use of data from vehicles and road infrastructure should be facilitated at the same time as the introduction of a regulatory framework to promote the development of connected mobility.
In addition to these more broad-based considerations, Mr Van de Camp is formulating several recommendations for different modes of transport. He would therefore initially like the EU to become a world leader on the issue of international technical harmonisation for connected vehicles on the roads. In the road transport sector, the MEP is also calling on the Commission and stakeholders to draft guidelines on artificial intelligence.
Mr Van de Camp also makes a reference to drones and the inter-institutional agreement on reforming the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) statutes, which still need to officially enter into force (see EUROPE 11916, 12049). He would therefore like detailed standards regulating drone operations to be presented as soon as possible.
The MEP would also like the Commission to tackle the question of connected mobility in maritime, river and railway transport.
Nonetheless, in order to ensure that the transition to connected mobility is successful, Mr Van de Camp intends to focus on education and training. He has therefore expressed a wish for the Commission and member states to present initiatives addressing the public in this connection. (Original version in French by Lucas Tripoteau)