Automated mobility in Europe: where are we now?

Automation in road transport is at the forefront of the European Commission's agenda, aligning with key policy objectives such as the greening and digitalisation of the transport sector. Cooperative, connected, and automated mobility (CCAM) plays a central role in this transition, promising safer and more inclusive road transportation, while enhancing the competitiveness of European industries. The European Commission, through Horizon Europe, invests EUR 500 million in a public-private partnership on CCAM, which has been topped up by the private members by the same amount. Since 2021, EUR 159 million have been invested in research and innovation (R&I) activities to support 19 European projects to deliver on CCAM.

The mobility landscape is experiencing a surge in clean, connected, cooperative, and automated vehicles, driven by the pressing need to improve road safety and curb greenhouse gas emissions. This trend is characterised by the growing adoption of electric and hybrid vehicles for their environmental benefits, alongside advancements in connectivity that bolster safety and efficiency through real-time data exchange between vehicles and surrounding infrastructure. With the rapid evolution of automation and self-driving technologies that prioritise safety, accessibility, and reliability, the future of mobility is steering toward cleaner, more sustainable, user-centric, and smarter transportation solutions.

While the European automotive sector commands a significant share of R&D investment and employment, challenges stemming from electrification and digitalisation are also pushing the EU to maintain its leadership position amidst global competition. Today, we are seeing a progressive introduction of CCAM solutions, such as automated functions in passenger cars, shuttles, logistics operations, and last-mile delivery services, commercially available in Europe. Together with clean technologies, these solutions integrate existing transport ecosystems and are complemented by investments in smart mobility infrastructure, fostering growth in new business models. The development of CCAM is thus providing crucial opportunities to support the evolution of the automotive industry, and beyond.

In the 2016 Amsterdam Declaration, Member States urged the Commission to support the transition towards automation in road transportation with a comprehensive strategy at the EU level. Responding to this call, the Commission published in 2018 the Communication "On the road to automated mobility: An EU strategy for mobility of the future". It outlined a set of objectives to position Europe as a global leader in CCAM across transport modes in subsequent years. The main recommendation of the Communication revolved around the need to coordinate EU instruments at research and regulatory level, alongside private sector engagements and funding programmes within Member States, to accelerate the transformation towards a safer, more resilient, and efficient transport sector capable of meeting diverse population needs.

Since 2018, numerous EU initiatives have been implemented. This Staff Working Document (SWD) highlights 10 achievements that are bringing Europe closer to deploying CCAM. While the publication emphasises a strong R&I footprint, the scope of these 10 achievements is broad, covering regulatory, financing, and policy actions, technical standards, infrastructure adaptation, as well as data and connectivity initiatives.

 This SWD presents a unified European vision that enables a progressive and seamless transition to CCAM, from research to widespread deployment, towards a multimodal, shared, sustainable, inclusive, affordable and safe transport sector. Several R&I success stories are highlighted throughout, demonstrating the impact of EU investment in CCAM, with a total of EUR 1 billion allocated for the duration of Horizon Europe.

More information

Staff Working Document on CCAM in Europe