Thanks to the latest developments in digital technology such as robotics, artificial intelligence and high-performance computers, the self-driving cars we once fantasised about in films and books are about to become reality.

How can self-driving vehicles benefit Europeans?

Human error is involved in about 95% of all road traffic accidents in the EU, and in 2017 alone, 25,300 people died on the Union’s roads. Driverless cars and lorries can drastically reduce these figures and improve road safety, while new digital technologies can also reduce traffic congestion and emissions of greenhouse gases and air pollutants. Mobility can also be improved, for example by opening up road transport to the elderly and those with reduced mobility or disabilities.

In coming years, the self-driving vehicles’ market is expected to grow exponentially creating new jobs and developing profits of up to €620 billion by 2025 for the EU automotive industry.