EU-Wide Type Approval for Autonomous Driving: What’s Possible in Europe?

It’s a recurring narrative: the European market is difficult for robotaxis – primarily due to fragmented regulations on autonomous driving, unlike the US, China or Abu Dhabi. But is that actually true? Could robotaxis with an EU type approval operate across all member states? What is possible with an EU type approval in Europe – and what isn’t? Questions worth exploring include:

• Dual Mode: What benefits and business models does the dual-mode framework of EU type approval offer?
• Scaling: To what extent would an EU type approval for autonomous driving apply to only a limited number of vehicles?
• Testing: Can an EU type approval be obtained for autonomous driving tests?
• Local operational permit: Beyond EU type approval, are additional national or local permits required to deploy or test autonomous vehicles?