Connected Cars and Technological Innovation: The Right Policy for the European Union and the United States

Abstract

The car industry is going through one of the most revolutionary changes since the invention of the car. Connectivity, which permits cars to share and obtain information with other devices, is a central piece of this historic change. It will increase road safety, as “smart” cars will be able to anticipate events unforeseeable to human drivers, such as road accidents, broken-down vehicles, or pedestrians and cyclists suddenly coming onto the road. It will permit greater efficiency of traffic management by automatically changing the timing of traffic lights based on the existing traffic. Car connectivity will mitigate congestion, shorten commutes, and reduce pollution. Of course, connectivity will also permit fully automated self-driving cars to finally become a reality.

Keywords: connected cars, technological innovation, european union, United States, car industry, cars, self-driving