On Thursday 14 April 2016, Minister for the Environment, Carole Dieschbourg, and Minister of Sustainable Development and Infrastructure, François Bausch, attended the informal Transport and Environment Council in Amsterdam.
Alongside their European colleagues, commissioners and MEPs, the Dutch Presidency also invited Switzerland, Iceland, Norway and Turkey as well as major NGOs and the automotive industry.
Innovation and the deployment of intelligent and green solutions for more efficient and sustainable mobility in Europe figured as the central theme of the meeting. Transport Ministers predominantly focused on cooperation in the field of automated and connected driving, whilst Environment Ministers looked at green mobility.
Autonomous and Connected Vehicles: A Common Vision
Minister Bausch intervened in the debate to highlight certain essential elements of Luxembourg's vision for smart and sustainable mobility. In the same vein as the Chairman of the Transport Committee of the European Parliament, Michael Cramer, the Minister emphasised that "we must first determine a concept and a vision for mobility and establish true needs before extending new technologies. I recommend a multi-modal approach in which the fully autonomous vehicles could be integrated as a useful tool in tandem with public transport and sustainable mobility."
The transport ministers present adopted a declaration concerning a common vision on the introduction of autonomous and connected vehicles on European roads.
Substantial Efforts Needed from the Automotive Industry to Regain Trust
In a parallel session, Minister Dieschbourg defended he vision of a green mixed mobility based primarily on pubic transport, car-sharing solutions and sustainable mobility. The Minister explained that technological solutions in of themsleves will not improve the situation, but that instead a paradigm shift is required, particularly with regards to mobility habits. This involves a consideration of the real needs of mobility.
The primary objective of a sustainable policy should aim to reduce traffic through the better thought-out management of the territory and priority to public transport, the integration of active mobility and the use of intelligen mobility solutions.
"We must make every effort to accelerate the deployment of clean vehicles," commented Minister Dieschbourg. "Since the combustion engine will not disappear overnight, I expect a gradual strengthening of requirements to automakers beyond the thresholds set for horizon 20202. The automotive industry must make much more substantial efforts, if it is to regain the trust of citizens."
The Luxembourg ministers finally intervened in a joint session dedicated to innovative mobility to confirm that the emphasis in terms of mobility in the future will be more on individual vehicles, but that it is important to advocate sustainable multimodal solutions.
Photo by Shutterstock
