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Besides passenger mobility, the EU’s smart mobility strategy also includes intermodal and intelligent cargo, meaning that goods become self-, context- and location-aware as well as connected to a wide range of information logistics services incorporating navigation systems, digital tachographs and tolling systems. The European Commission’s Horizon 2020 program recently funded a swappable container marine transport battery called Current Direct. This program plans to revolutionize the marine transport of cargo. Current Direct will also provide an opportunity for energy companies, institutional investors, and even government stakeholders from across Europe’s marine electrification value chain to join in the green transformation of Europe’s merchant and passenger fleet. The fact that the United Kingdom, while no longer a part of the EU, is investing in nine new 5G test beds to support ports logistics illustrates the overall government trends and funding commitments towards this segment of the smart mobility transformation in Europe.
European Union
The EU Action Plan for the Smart Mobility Strategy
The EU action plan for the smart mobility strategy listed 80+ new areas of regulations and standards development that will be part of the work plan for the next 3-4 years. These activities are grouped under 10 different “Flagship” headings covering almost all aspects of the smart mobility ecosystem. Among the action plan items is setting up a high-level group (‘New Mobility Tech Group’) as a first step toward the development of a coherent EU approach and a set of recommendations on facilitating testing and trials of emerging mobility technologies and solutions in the EU (‘European Mobility Test Beds’). The hyperloop was mentioned as an example of a new technology that would need regulatory actions to ensure safety and security. The ability of U.S. companies to provide input into this process would be very important to ensure that U.S. technologies are not inadvertently locked out of the EU market. U.S. companies see any potential market access barriers arising through this forum or any area of smart mobility in the EU can request the assistance of the Commercial Service in the International Trade Administration.
Recognizing the role of data to smart mobility, the European Commission included in its strategy the planned creation of a “European Common Mobility Data Space”, which will also encourage the development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) within the mobility sector. Connectivity for smart mobility relies on adequate access to telecommuting resources and infrastructure. In 2012, the European Union established a Radio Spectrum Policy Program (RSPP) to define key policy objectives and set up general principles for managing radio spectrum in the internal market.
In December 2020, EU Member States presented a report that compiles their proposed best practices for cutting the cost of network rollout and for providing timely access to radio spectrum for 5G. This report marked the first step towards developing the toolbox of best practices. The report identified main trends and provided examples for improving connectivity.