High-level meeting on connected and automated driving aims at strengthening cooperation

On 7 October 2020, the Ministry of Transport and Communications arranged a ministerial Meeting on Connected and Automated driving. The aim of the meeting was to speed up the European cooperation for promoting transport automation. The meeting conclusions state that transport automation should be based on a human-centred approach.

Finland will chair the High Level Meeting on Connected and Automated Driving (HLM CAD) in 2020. The meeting aims at promoting automation in the transport sector. It is open to all EU Member States.

The current meeting brought together high-level representatives and experts in transport automation from European countries, the EU Commission and private sector organisations.

Aim is an overview of transport automation

The meeting focused on the themes of moving towards human-centred approach in transport automation, increasing the exchange of information between different stakeholders in transport automation ecosystems, developing the regulatory environment for transport automation and strengthening the trust.

"Our aim has been to form an overall picture of transport automation that could be used in steering the individual development measures. An extensive action and legislative plan on transport automation is being prepared in Finland, on the basis of which we have had a lot to offer during our chairmanship," says Minister of Transport and Communications Timo Harakka.

In the conclusions of the meeting, the participating Member States and organisations underline the importance of the human-centred approach in the development of transport automation so that the wellbeing of people and societies can be increased. Automation also contributes to achieving social objectives, such as prevention of road traffic accidents and fight against climate change.

The conclusions also emphasise the need for political guidance and cooperation to ensure the interoperability of information exchange that promotes automation. In EU Member States, the regulation on transport automation should be technology-neutral, provide a favourable operating environment and be based on risks, goals and performance.

Transport automation is progressing in all modes of transport

The current technology is mainly used to assist the person driving a means of transport.

Extensive collection, analysis and use of data, the automation of background systems and traffic control are essential areas of development in the field of automated transport. They permit the efficient administration and maintenance of the infrastructure and the preparation of different types of transport forecasts.

The EU High Level Meeting on Connected and Automated Driving was launched by the Netherlands in 2015. The Declaration of Amsterdam on connected and automated driving was adopted during the Dutch EU Presidency in spring 2016. Follow-up meetings have been held in Frankfurt, Germany, and Gothenburg, Sweden. In addition to high-level conferences, expert meetings have been held in Vienna and Vilnius.

Inquiries:

Maria Rautavirta, Director of Unit, tel. +358 40 718 5975, Twitter: @mrautavirta

Kirsi Miettinen, Senior Ministerial Adviser, Legislative Affairs, tel.+ 071 9629, Twitter: @KMiettinen