European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen referred to as on Friday for a continent-wide push to develop self-driving automobiles, saying synthetic intelligence might assist revive the area’s struggling automotive sector and enhance street security.
Talking on the Italian Tech Week in Turin, Italy’s automotive hub, von der Leyen urged the European Union to undertake an “AI first” technique throughout strategic industries, with a concentrate on mobility.
“Self-driving automobiles are already a actuality in the US and China. The identical must be true right here in Europe,” she stated, including that “AI first” additionally meant “security first”.
Her remarks come as Brussels seeks to bolster industrial competitiveness, whereas native automakers battle to maintain up with overseas expertise growth, significantly by China and the US.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Turin-based Ferrari and Stellantis Chairman John Elkann have been additionally among the many audio system at Italian Tech Week.
Von der Leyen proposed forming a community of European cities to pilot autonomous autos, saying 60 Italian mayors had already expressed curiosity.
“Allow us to make it occur,” she added.
The EU chief additionally pledged the bloc’s help for creating autos “made in Europe, and made for European streets”.
The automotive trade, which employs tens of millions throughout Europe, is reworking quickly amid stress to decarbonise and digitise. Von der Leyen stated AI might assist cut back congestion, hyperlink distant areas to public transport, and protect jobs.
“The way forward for automobiles – and the automobiles of the long run – should be made in Europe,” she stated.
(Reporting by Giulio Piovaccari and Elvira Pollina; Writing by Giulio Piovaccari; Enhancing by Clarence Fernandez)