POWERFUL DIGITAL HIGHWAYS FOR EUROPE S CONNECTED AND AUTOMATED DRIVING

Joint Industry Statement

The Automotive and telecom industries launch joint EU Dialogue at the Frankfurt IAA under the auspices of Commissioner Oettinger

Frankfurt: Automated and connected driving will be a pillar of Europe's industrial renaissance. The vehicle of the future is part of a connected world where superfast digital networks give access to communication, higher safety, improved environmental standards, entertainment, knowledge and personal contacts, to anyone, anywhere and at any time.

From both the societal and economic viewpoint the opportunity is vast.

Connected and automated driving is expected to have a very significant economic impact: KPMG estimates an impact of 71bn by 2030 in the UK only (KPMG, 2015), while other studies point to a global market of 44 million automated vehicles by 2030 (BCG, 2015).

Positive societal benefits are anticipated, with researchers pointing to: new jobs across the automotive value chain; increased road safety and lower fatalities; increased fuel-efficiency and lower environmental impact; reduction of traffic congestion and higher comfort standards for users.

There are strategic challenges to Europe's ability to implement connectivity and automation in all environments. The completion of a fully-implemented EU Digital Single Market and the deployment of high-speed broadband should be prioritised. At the same time, the whole European automotive sector needs to evolve at a fast pace. The ambition is to maintain and further develop Europe's leading position in this field.

The European Union aims to increase the contribution made by manufacturing to GDP from 16% to 20% by 2020. Automated and connected driving will be a key driver of Europe's re-industrialisation, thanks to sustained markets and technology leadership.

For this reason, the European automotive and telecom sectors, encouraged by Commissioner Oettinger, have come together to shape the debate by means of a structured EU Industry Dialogue on automated and connected driving .

The dialogue will concentrate on the following strategic objectives:

1. Prioritising connectivity, network coverage & reliability;

2. Facilitating take-up;

3. Ensuring trust and security.

The industries will therefore identify areas requiring further cooperation, areas in which supportive public policies are needed and areas requiring regulatory intervention.

The kick-off meeting of the EU Industry Dialogue took place today in Frankfurt, at the 66th International Motor Show, during a roundtable chaired by G nther Oettinger, European Commissioner for Digital economy and Society.

-ENDS-

About:

ACEA, the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association represents the 15 Europe-based car, van, truck and bus manufacturers: BMW Group, DAF Trucks, Daimler, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), Ford of Europe, Hyundai Motor Europe, IVECO, Jaguar Land Rover, Opel Group, PSA Peugeot Citro n, Renault Group, Toyota Motor Europe, Volkswagen Group, Volvo Cars, Volvo Group. More information can be found on www.acea.be or @ACEA_eu.

More information: Cara McLaughlin, Communications Director, cm@acea.be, 32 2 738 73 45, www.acea.be

CLEPA is the European Association of Automotive Suppliers. 116 of the world's most prominent suppliers for car parts, systems and modules and 23 National trade associations and European sector associations are members of CLEPA, representing more than 3 thousand companies, employing more than 5 million people and covering all products and services within the automotive supply chain. Based in Brussels, CLEPA is recognized as the natural discussion partner by the European Institutions, United Nations and fellow associations (ACEA, JAMA, MEMA, etc).

More information: Amalia Di Stefano, Deputy CEO, a.distefano@clepa.be, 32 2 743 91 35, www.clepa.eu

ETNO has been the voice of Europe's telecommunications network operators since 1992 and has become the principal policy group for European electronic communications network operators. Its 50 members and observers in 35 countries collectively account for a turnover of more than 600 billion and employ over 1.6 million people. ETNO companies are the main drivers of broadband and are committed to its continual growth in Europe. ETNO members are pan-European operators, also holding new entrant positions outside their national markets. ETNO brings together the main investors in innovative and high-quality e-communications platforms and services, representing 70% of total sector investment.

More information: Alessandro Gropelli, Head of Communications and Media, gropelli@etno.eu, 32 476 941839, www.etno.eu, @ETNOAssociation

ECTA, the European Competitive Telecommunications Association, is the pan-European pro-competitive trade association that represents over 100 of the leading challenger telecoms operators across Europe. For over a decade, ECTA has been supporting the regulatory and commercial interests of telecoms operators, ISPs & equipment manufacturers in pursuit of a fair regulatory environment that allows all electronic communications providers to compete on level terms. Our members have been the leading innovators in Internet services, broadband, business communications, entertainment and mobile.

More information: Aurelie Bladocha, abladocha@ectaportal.com, Public Affairs Manager, 32 2 290 01 04, www.ectaportal.com, @twecta

About the GSMA

The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide, uniting nearly 800 operators with more than 250 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset and device makers, software companies, equipment providers and internet companies, as well as organisations in adjacent industry sectors. The GSMA also produces industry-leading events such as Mobile World Congress, Mobile World Congress Shanghai and the Mobile 360 Series conferences.

For more information,

LINK:	http://www.gsma.com/newsroom/press-release/powerful-digital-highways-f...
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