The new technology will allow vehicles to talk to each other, to the road infrastructure, and to other road users – for example, about dangerous situations ahead, roadworks and the timing of traffic lights.
The rules are part of the plan to modernise the European mobility sector, and an important step towards the EU’s long-term goal of zero fatalities and serious injuries by 2050.
As of this year, vehicles, traffic signs and motorways will be equipped with technology to send standardised messages to all road users around them.
The specifications establish the minimal legal requirements for interoperability between the different systems, which will enable all equipped stations to exchange messages securely in an open network.
“This decision gives vehicle manufacturers, road operators and others the long-awaited legal certainty needed to start large-scale deployment of C-ITS services across Europe, while remaining open to new technology and market developments,” said Violeta Bulc, the EU commissioner for mobility and transport.
“It will significantly contribute to us achieving our ambitions on road safety, and is an important stepping stone towards connected and automated mobility.”