PAVE Europe Conference 2025: accelerating autonomous mobility through collaboration, regulation and real-world deployment

The 2025 PAVE Europe Conference brought together policymakers, industry leaders, technology developers and logistics operators to discuss how Europe can move from experimentation to large-scale deployment of automated mobility. The conversations highlighted a shared ambition: to make autonomous mobility a practical, safe and competitive reality across both passenger and freight transport. 

Setting the stage: Why automation matters now? 

The conference opened with remarks from MEP Pierfrancesco Maran, who emphasised the need for stronger cooperation between technology developers, policymakers and OEMs, all contributing to innovative and scalable solutions. He framed automation as a lever for accessibility and day-to-day usability, but only if policy, manufacturers, and technology providers pull in the same direction. He also positioned PAVE Europe as a practical channel for public authorities to translate operational needs into policy and deployment choices. Maran highlighted the potential of automation to improve accessibility, transport efficiency and urban mobility services, and noted the important role of initiatives such as European Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Alliance (ECAVA) in aligning European efforts. 

Integrating AVs into cities: Services, infrastructure and reality checks 

A central theme was how automated vehicles will fit into real urban environments: 

• Some speakers argued that smart infrastructure is not a prerequisite and that vehicles should be capable of operating independently in complex environments. 
• Others stressed that, without interoperable digital infrastructure, cities will struggle to coordinate diverse systems and operators. 
• The need to balance innovation with affordability was also raised, especially for public transport operators considering large-scale deployments. 
• Connectivity was raised as a pragmatic lever, with some arguing that upgrades like 5G may be a more realistic near-term step than large bespoke infrastructure programmes. 
• One of the main feedback items from the discussions was that the current autonomy stack remains too expensive to deliver a ‘European’ solution at public-funded price points. 
• A recurring concern was Europe’s difficulty scaling innovations compared to the US and Asia – a barrier linked to fragmented markets and slow joint investments. 

Building Europe’s testbeds

One of the most anticipated sessions focused on Europe’s upcoming cross-border automation testbeds, designed to reduce fragmentation and provide unified frameworks for testing and pre-deployment. 

Key points included: 

• Testbeds are being developed because Europe is currently falling behind global competitors in terms of scale and commercial readiness. 
• These testbeds would allow automated vehicles to move across borders under a single regulatory framework. 
• A pre-deployment phase will make it possible to test non-approved vehicles in controlled and commercially relevant settings. 
• A questionnaire to industry has already received interest from 23 players – mostly European – indicating strong market appetite. 
• The aim is to announce the testbeds by the end of 2026, securing the commitment of Member States on scalability plans. 
• The design principle is cross-border operation under a single agreed rule set, using regulatory sandboxes to remove national friction. 
• Participation is expected to be pragmatic rather than purely origin-based, meaning non-EU technology is not automatically excluded where it accelerates learning. 

Although there is no dedicated funding yet, the Commission aims to facilitate private investment and encourage Member States to define harmonised regulatory approaches. 

From innovation to deployment: Logistics and public transport perspectives 

The session on freight and public transport offered an honest assessment of the opportunities and obstacles facing the deployment of automated mobility. Fernando Liesa emphasised that automation in freight cannot be viewed as a simple vehicle replacement. Automated trucks create value across multiple points of the transport chain, and unlocking this value requires targeted support mechanisms, including: 

• Regulatory sandboxes to test real operational design domains. 
• Business sandboxes that allow operators to explore new business and usage models. 
• A stronger focus on the users of automated freight solutions – transport companies and shippers – who ultimately determine adoption. 

Speakers also pointed to several structural challenges. Current truck designs are not yet optimised for the high annual mileage typical of logistics operations, creating concerns around depreciation and long-term financial viability. Operators also require clear incentives and predictable frameworks before committing to automation technologies. Regulatory harmonisation remains a critical enabler, as automated trucks must be able to operate seamlessly across Member States. Many contributors underscored that real-world testing – not simulation – is the only practical pathway to deployment. 

A recurring concern was the divergence between regions: European companies are already implementing automated solutions in the US and China, yet find it difficult to do so within Europe due to regulatory uncertainty and the absence of a ready market. 

Insurance, risk and liability: Adjusting systems for automation 

Representatives from the insurance and homologation sectors discussed how existing frameworks must evolve to support automated mobility. They highlighted the importance of aiming for as much regulatory alignment as possible across Europe to avoid fragmentation. One forward-looking view suggested insurance may evolve toward covering the whole operating ecosystem, driven increasingly by software and operational controls rather than the vehicle alone. 

Switzerland’s recent progress on L3 regulation for highway operations was presented as a pragmatic reference point, particularly its approach to remote supervision and a unified type-approval procedure. Despite technological advances, liability frameworks will likely continue to place responsibility on fleet operators, mirroring today’s system. Insurers stressed that innovation should be integrated without unnecessary complexity and that risk models should draw on real-world pilots, similar to how the industry adapted to electric vehicles a decade ago. 

Looking ahead: Action points and strategic priorities 

The closing discussion returned to the central question: Who will orchestrate the future of autonomous mobility in Europe? Several clear priorities emerged: 

• Europe must shift from isolated pilots to large-scale real deployments. 
• Freight logistics must be central to automation strategies, rather than treated as an afterthought. 
• Pan-European regulation and harmonised certification are essential for scalability. 
• Business cases need to be developed with operators, who require long-term clarity to invest. 
• Testbeds and sandboxes should be expanded to build trust, gather evidence and accelerate implementation. 

A positive outlook for Europe 

In his final remarks, Fernando highlighted the long-term benefits that effective deployment of automated mobility could deliver for Europe. These include addressing the driver shortage and ensuring continuity of transport services, strengthening Europe’s commercial vehicle industry through a stronger innovation adoption market, and improving infrastructure utilisation, particularly at night, to increase reliability and efficiency. Automation also offers significant reductions in congestion exposure, cargo damage and emissions. 

Ultimately, successful deployment will enhance Europe’s economic competitiveness and resilience while supporting a safer and more efficient freight transport ecosystem.