Austria, Hungary, Slovenia set up middle Europe driverless region

The transport ministers of Austria, Hungary and Slovenia have signed an agreement to cooperate on the development of autonomous vehicles and e-mobility. The agreement advocates creating an Austrian-Hungarian-Slovenian driverless region to help develop and understand the latest mobility technologies and vehicles, according to a report in the Austrian newspaper Oberösterreichische Nachrichten. A test-track for autonomous vehicles stretching from Graz, Austria, to Zalaegerszeg in Hungary, via Maribor, Sl
April 3, 2018 Read time: 2 mins
The transport ministers of Austria, Hungary and Slovenia have signed an agreement to cooperate on the development of autonomous vehicles and e-mobility.


The agreement advocates creating an Austrian-Hungarian-Slovenian driverless region to help develop and understand the latest mobility technologies and vehicles, according to a report in the Austrian newspaper Oberösterreichische Nachrichten.

A test-track for autonomous vehicles stretching from Graz, Austria, to Zalaegerszeg in Hungary, via Maribor, Slovenia, may be constructed, the report noted.

The signing ceremony was also attended by European Transport Commissioner Violeta Bulc, the Slovenian member of the EU Commission.

Driverless cars and their impact on road design is being studied by the Vienna-based 2682 Austrian Institute of Technology through its interdisciplinary via-AUTONOM programme. Under scrutiny are new forms and technologies of road infrastructure that would facilitate safe and efficient automated road transport. It is studying how road infrastructure can optimise automated driving functions such as lane planning, proactive driving behaviour, pre-crash support and an “enhanced electronic horizon”.

In the world of big data, the institute if looking at which infrastructure and vehicle data are relevant to support autonomous driving, and how can they be combined. The project aims to investigate road infrastructure measures that have the highest effectiveness for the transition period with automated vehicles and non-automated road users.

Another objective is to identify where those measures must be implemented. To this end, via-AUTONOM develops a risk model to identify critical spots and road sections - intersections, roadwork zones and curves with limited sight distance – that may hold back increased use of automated vehicles.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • ERF sets out sign inspection guidelines
    December 27, 2024
    The European Union Road Federation suggests that its checklist - downloadable for free - is included in any existing tools for road safety inspection and audits that road agencies may have.
    Read More
  • EU missing target of halving road deaths by 2020, says ETSC
    April 12, 2018
    Halving the number of deaths on Europe’s roads by 2020 is not likely to be achieved, according to the European Transport Safety Council. The 28 members of the European Union reduced the number of road deaths by 20% from 2010-2017, far less than the 38% cut needed to stay on course to meet the 2020 target. The European Commission has just published data showing that deaths on EU roads fell by only 2% last year, following a similar decrease in 2016 and a 1% increase in 2015. “For four years in a row, the
    Read More
  • A €700 million investment ensures a makeover for Malta’s roads
    June 3, 2019
    The European Union Road Federation (ERF) recently held a road safety workshop in Malta* Infrastructure Malta is entrusted with handling Malta’s recently announced – and unprecedented - road investment of more than €700 million over the next seven years. The government is also tapping into several European Union funds to support its own investment. Projects include construction of the Marsa Junction Project, a new seven-flyover, multi-level intersection to improve the efficiency of the country’s most imp
    Read More
  • European transport safety programme
    March 29, 2019
    A new programme of transport safety measures has been drawn up for Europe, with funding having been secured. Called the Safer Transport Platform, this programme is being managed jointly by the European Investment Bank and European Commission. The plans call for a series of investments in transport safety, with a special focus on roads New financing measures form part of the Safer Transport Platform, a joint EC and EIB initiative. This will address investment needs in transport safety in Europe. At the TE
    Read More

Highlighted Content