Europe is taking action – accelerating autonomous mobility

Autonomous mobility is a reality, but its full potential is still taking shape. The race is on, and the winners will be those who can navigate both technological innovation and shifting regulations. The US and China currently lead, while the EU trails behind.

Europe is now stepping up, aiming to strengthen its position in the global race for autonomous vehicles. For years, the European automotive industry has faced challenges in developing and deploying autonomous vehicles at scale due to complex regulations. But now, the European Commission is setting the course—it’s time for action. Who will take the lead?

A roadmap for autonomous mobility

With a newly announced Industrial Action Plan for the Automotive Sector, the EU is taking concrete steps to fast-track autonomous vehicle deployment. The plan sets a clear goal: get autonomous vehicles on European roads faster. This includes regulatory changes enabling the approval of vehicles with automated parking systems as early as 2025, followed by broader autonomous use cases, including hub-to-hub freight transport, in 2026. With autonomous driving technology expected to add up to EUR 400 billion in value to the automotive sector by 2035, it is set to become a key driver of growth and market transformation. *

This shift in regulations could be a game changer for Europe’s automotive industry. For years, companies have had to move forward without clear rules, making it harder to plan and invest. With a clearer framework on the way, is Europe ready to close the gap with the U.S. and China?

While China has moved quickly with large-scale test zones and strong government backing, the U.S. has relied on private companies driving innovation. Countries like Japan and Singapore have taken a structured approach, focusing on controlled testing and regulatory updates. Japan’s RoAD to L4 (Roadmap to Automated Driving) program is a national initiative aimed at advancing autonomous driving to Level 4, where vehicles can operate without human intervention in specific conditions. At the same time, Singapore has built dedicated testbeds and smart city infrastructure to accelerate deployment.

Meanwhile, a unified EU framework could remove barriers, making it easier to develop and scale autonomous technology. To accelerate market readiness, the EU will establish at least three large-scale cross-border testbeds and European Automated Driving Corridors, enabling real-world trials of autonomous vehicles across member states. Currently, only a few member states allow autonomous vehicles on public roads, limiting the potential of a true single market for autonomous driving. The EU is working to harmonize regulations, ensuring that approval processes are streamlined across countries. As part of this effort, the European Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Alliance is fostering collaboration between industry leaders, policymakers, and researchers to accelerate deployment and create a competitive European ecosystem for autonomous mobility.

Regulations alone won’t be enough

Simplifying approval processes is a step in the right direction, but bringing autonomous vehicles to European roads requires more than just new rules. With the groundwork laid, the priority is now implementation—ensuring that cities, businesses, and road networks can adapt.

To turn this opportunity into real progress, policy changes must be matched with investment and collaboration. According to the EU’s Industrial Action Plan, approval procedures for testing Automated Driving Systems (ADS) and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) on public roads will be streamlined by 2026. This aims to remove delays caused by varying national requirements and enable large-scale testing across Europe.

Looking ahead: the need for global coordination

The EU’s new approach marks a significant shift—but the journey doesn’t end here. While a more predictable regulatory framework in EU will help drive progress, the next step is global coordination.

For autonomous vehicles to transition from controlled environments to large-scale deployment, harmonized regulations across countries will be essential. A fragmented regulatory landscape could slow adoption and increase costs, while standardized data frameworks, and unified testing methods could make development more cost-efficient and accelerate commercialization.

With regulations evolving, the next step is ensuring smooth integration—both across Europe and on a global scale. For companies developing autonomous mobility solutions, this provides a clearer path forward. The coming years will be crucial in transforming these initiatives into real progress. For businesses, investors, and policymakers, the question is no longer if autonomous mobility will take off—but how fast they can adapt to this shifting landscape. The road ahead is being paved. Who will take the lead?

* 89b3143e-09b6-4ae6-a826-932b90ed0816_en