EU and EEA countries agree on cross-border automated transport tests

At the end of last year the automotive and telecom industries created a European Alliance of Telecoms and Automotive to develop cross-border testing of connectivity and automation for road transport in real traffic conditions, the European Commission said.

The countries have now agreed to work together to create testing corridors, and to make radio spectrum available for tests. The Commission hopes the trials will also encourage the introduction of 5G wireless communication, it said

As a first step the Commission will create an inventory of all the existing cross border activity and related policies, it said.

Earlier this year France and Germany agreed to build a cross-border test corridor between two neighbouring regions, Lorraine and Saarland.

"This is a first step to be expanded and followed by other member states and regions. The cross-border dimension is of paramount importance to ensure interoperability all over Europe and avoid having vehicles stopped when they reach a border," the Commission said.

Countries who have signed the letter of intent are: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.