Is Europe Ready for Self-Driving Cars?

Jelle Prins, a key figure behind Uber's inaugural application, recently shared his compelling vision for a future revolutionized by autonomous vehicles during an interview with TNW. He painted a picture of seamless travel:"Imagine getting into a car here in Amsterdam in the evening, and waking up the next morning in a mountain village in France for a day of snowboarding."For Prins, self-driving technology represents the inevitable next step in transportation, making the question notif, butwhen, it will become a reality across Europe.

This forward-looking perspective, alongside his work on designing proteins using AI, was discussed with TNW founder Boris Veldhuijzen van Zanten in a recent installment of"Kia's Next Big Drive."

TheKia EV9, highlighted in the interview, is categorized as a Level 2 autonomous vehicle on a 0-5 scale of driving automation. It incorporates Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), an advanced feature that enhances autonomy by adjusting the car's speed to match the vehicle ahead. However, human oversight remains essential. This technology is part of a deliberate rollout by car manufacturers, progressively introducing adaptive features that pave the way for Level 5 autonomous vehicles, which will operate entirely without human input.

Global Progress vs. Europe's Fragmentation

While autonomous vehicles (AVs) are being introduced commercially at a measured pace, their adoption in public transport is expected to accelerate significantly. The European Commission, through its Horizon 2020 initiative, is actively funding research into driverless public transport solutions across the EU. Yet, nations like the US, China, and more recently the UK, are considerably more advanced and gaining momentum in AV deployment.

In the United States, companies such asWaymo(Alphabet’s autonomous vehicle subsidiary) have already launched commercial robotaxi services in cities including Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Austin. Plans are underway for expansion into Atlanta in 2025 and Miami and Washington, DC in 2026. China'sBaiduhas extensively tested itsApollo Goautonomous ride-hailing service in over 15 cities, with an ambitious target of 100 cities by 2030.

Even the UK, which has traditionally been slower in embracing emerging mobility technologies, enacted a pivotalAutomated Vehicles (AV) Actin 2024, establishing a unified legal framework. Pilot AV programs are slated for 2026, with companies likeWayveandUberalready planning trials.

In stark contrast, the European Union faces a fragmented landscape. Characterized by inconsistent infrastructure, irregular 5G network coverage, and an absence of a unified regulatory framework, the bloc risks falling behind its international counterparts. Overcoming this gap will require harmonizing standards and significantly boosting investment.

The Transformative Potential of Autonomous Vehicles

Envision Amsterdam's canals free of parked cars, instead lined with verdant trees, community gardens, and lively outdoor cafes. Consider how Barcelona’s innovative“superblocks”—urban planning aimed at creating traffic-restricted, pedestrian-friendly zones—could inspire similar transformations in major cities like Paris and Berlin.

Autonomous vehicles have the potential to supercharge these urban trends, making cities more vibrant, accessible, and livable for all residents.

Commuting from outside city centers could become less of a burden if the journey itself transforms into a productive or relaxing part of one's morning routine. Passengers could leisurely sip coffee, read, or engage with their laptops, free from the demands of driving.

Furthermore, AVs could communicate and coordinate seamlessly with smart city infrastructure, enabling real-time traffic management. This capability could lead to optimized routes, reduced congestion, and smoother overall traffic flow. For instance, some cities are trialing dynamic traffic lights that adapt in real time to traffic conditions using sensors, cameras, and algorithms.

Navigating the Hurdles: Is Europe Ready for an AV Future?

The potential implications of autonomous vehicles are not universally positive. Much like the disruption caused by Uber, a widespread wave of automation could displace millions of jobs across the transportation sector, affecting truck drivers, delivery personnel, and taxi operators.

According toKPMG's calculations, AVs could reduce public transportation costs by up to 50%. In the Netherlands, where 600,000 individuals are employed in transport and logistics, the potential loss of these jobs could translate to an annual income reduction of €14 billion. This underscores the urgent need for comprehensive reskilling programs for affected workers.

AVs also present complex ethical dilemmas. For example, in an unavoidable crash scenario, how should an autonomous car prioritize between two harmful outcomes? Scholars are actively debating the most effective methods to align such intelligent systems with human moral judgment to prepare for this future.

Cybersecurity is another critical concern. As vehicles become increasingly connected, they become more susceptible to hacking, posing risks not only to individual passengers but to entire transportation networks. Last year, researchers developed a hack, termedMadRadar, which could bypass anti-spoofing protections, causing AVs to "hallucinate" phantom cars on the road.

The future of autonomy depends on more than just advanced software and sensors; it requires a matching road infrastructure. A significant challenge in Europe is the lack of consistent signage and road standards. A2023 literature reviewhighlighted how variations in signage design, language, and placement across EU countries create substantial obstacles for AVs, which rely heavily on image recognition and machine learning to interpret their surroundings.

Digital infrastructure is equally crucial. Reliable 5G networks, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication capabilities, and up-to-date digital maps are indispensable for real-time decision-making and ensuring safety. Cities that lack these essential assets risk being left behind in the autonomous revolution.

Finally, the legislative landscape is problematic. As of mid-2025, each EU member state operates under vastly different regulations concerning AV testing and deployment.

Liability remains a particularly ambiguous issue: in the event of a self-driving car crash, who bears the fault—the manufacturer, the software developer, or the occupant?

These inconsistencies threaten to impede AV adoption in Europe, even as technological giants in the US and China forge ahead. Mass deployment will likely remain a distant prospect until governments establish unified frameworks that prioritize safety without stifling innovation.

Whether AVs are inherently safer than human drivers is still a subject of ongoing debate. Astudy by Swiss Rereleased this year suggested thatWaymo’sautonomous vehicles have up to 92% fewer liability claims than human-driven cars. However,other researchindicates that AVs continue to struggle in complex scenarios, such as driving at dawn or dusk and making turns at intersections, where they exhibit higher accident rates compared to human drivers.

Interestingly, astudy into the psychological biases drivers hold regarding AVsrevealed that:

The researchers consequently suggested that focusing solely on safety as the primary advantage of AVs might be a misdirected strategy.

On“Kia’s Next Big Drive,”Prins predicted that self-driving vehicles would appear on European roads“soon.”Yet, the reality is far more intricate. Technologically, AVs are rapidly approaching maturity. Societally and politically, however, Europe is still playing catch-up.

The fundamental question is no longerifautonomous vehicles will arrive, but ratherhowsociety will adapt to their integration. Will Europe embrace the potential for more environmentally friendly, safer, and more accessible cities? Or will it repeat past errors, replacing one set of challenges with another?

One truth remains clear: the future of self-driving technology transcends merely the cars themselves. It involves a fundamental re-imagination of how we live, commute, and interact with our world. And that future is advancing rapidly.