Transport Archives

A European Commission plan to push WiFi as the technology of choice for connected cars over 5G is proving to be controversial. EU transport chief Violeta Bulc told EURACTIV in an interview that saving lives is the most important factor and WiFi is the only proven option.

Under an icy rain, camouflage-clad Swedish soldiers crouched behind a log pile, aimed their machine guns towards the Baltic Sea and, at their officers' barked orders, opened fire down the snow-covered range.

The bosses of BMW and Deutsche Telekom have urged the German government to take action to block a European Commission proposal that would set a Wi-Fi-based standard for connected cars.

Plans to get connected cars on Europe's roads could face a setback of "two or three years" should the Delegated Act on Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems (C-ITS) be rejected by MEPs this week, Commission officials have said.

The German auto manufacturing industry is at a perilous moment in its long and illustrious history and it needs the help of the country’s policymakers to ensure its long-term success, writes Nigel Topping.

The EU is considering slapping more than €19 billion in fresh tariffs against the US in response to subsidies provided to planemaker Boeing, EU and European officials told EURACTIV.

Frenchman Guillaume Faury took over as CEO of European aerospace giant Airbus on Wednesday, looking to benefit from the current troubles of rival Boeing and limit potential disruption from Brexit and US President Donald Trump's trade threats.

Norway now has approximately 200,000 electric cars, which constitute around 7% of the passenger car fleet. The exemption of purchase tax and VAT are among the financial incentives that made this possible, writes Jon Georg Dale.

The EU has begun preparations to retaliate over Boeing subsidies, an EU official said on Tuesday (9 April), a day after Washington listed EU products it plans to hit with tariffs in their aircraft dispute.

EU officials are satisfied with how the bloc’s internal energy market has taken shape over the last five years, but will acknowledge in a final stocktake due later on Tuesday (9 April) that energy efficiency and renewables targets still need work.

As electric vehicles begin to soar in popularity, one of the key members of the European Commission's in-house think-tank, Sami Andoura, asks: does Europe want to take the lead on electro-mobility or not?

The US on Monday (8 April) threatened to impose tariff counter-measures of up to $11.2 billion on a host of European products, including cheese and wine, in response to subsidies received by aircraft maker Airbus.

Fiat Chrysler (FCA) confirmed Sunday (7 April) that it is to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to Tesla, the zero-emissions electric carmakers, to avoid getting hit by European Commission fines.

WiFi should be deployed in connected vehicles rather than 5G due to safety concerns that may result in an increase in the EU's 25,000 annual road deaths, a letter written by EU's Transport Commissioner Violeta Bulc to the European Parliament states.

BMW and Volkswagen face possible hefty fines after EU antitrust regulators on Friday (5 April) charged the German carmakers and whistleblower Daimler with colluding to block the rollout of clean emissions technology.

Northvolt CEO Peter Carlsson wants to build Europe’s largest battery cell plant – in the middle of the Swedish countryside. In an interview, he explained how this should work and gave his thoughts on his new partner Volkswagen’s electromobility offensive.

Finland has hit out at European Commission plans to develop cooperative intelligent transport systems (C-ITS), saying the measures are "not technically neutral," according to a letter obtained by EURACTIV.

Europe must adopt an ambitious industrial policy aligned with its climate agenda by investing in clean technologies, and introducing a carbon tariff at the EU’s external border in order to protect industries against environmental dumping, says Bas Eickhout, the lead candidate for the Greens in the European elections.

Europe could be left behind in the international battery-building race, the EU auditors have warned in a new report and stressed that better storage is needed if the bloc is to hit its climate and energy targets.

European Commission candidate Margrethe Vestager found a lot of common ground with German economy minister Peter Altmaier on Monday (1 April), as the Dane’s campaign appeared to gain momentum.

Low-cost carrier Ryanair has earned the dubious accolade of joining the list of Europe’s top 10 carbon emitters, after fresh data showed the airline now ranks as high as the continent’s coal power plants in terms of pollution.

EU Commission department for mobility and transport (DG MOVE) presented its progress report this week but critics see the proposals as insufficiently ambitious. Hardly surprising when the Working Group responsible was under serious pressure, said an attendant. EURACTIV Germany reports.

Brexiteers follow a predictable theme, copyright law threatens the meme, speed limits on cars make petrol heads scream and daylight savings will soon be just a dream. This episode is supported by Ceemet.

A Spanish haulier has been caught using emission cheating devices by law enforcement agencies, just as the European Parliament declared that Europe has not recovered from its Dieselgate hangover.