“We can be proud of adopting a report which represents a positive vision of the automotive sector’s competitiveness in the 21st Century, and which takes many positive steps with regard to improving road safety and the lowering of emissions”, said the FIA President, Mr Jean Todt, following the adoption of the CARS 21 High Level report today in Brussels. Mr Todt said, “All stakeholders must work together to make sure our future mobility is safer, cleaner and more affordable for all.”
 
Mr Jacob Bangsgaard, Director General of the FIA Region I office in Brussels, regretting the absence of more concrete targets, said that any vision of the automotive sector’s future ultimately rests on consumer demand.  He singled out three areas where FIA Region I would like to see more progress:
 
eCall: “The European Commission’s impact assessment has said that eCall can reduce fatalities EU-wide by as much as 5%. The early, mandatory, introduction of eCall which allows for an open platform must remain an urgent priority for all.”
 
Improved Driver Training: “Apart from setting ambitious targets, we must not forget that important gains can be made through the improved training of drivers. For instance, it has been estimated that ecodriving can reduce road transport CO2 emissions by as much as 10 per cent. We can do more in this area.”
 
New Technologies: “The uptake of new technologies will be impossible without the support of the consumer. More needs to be done to raise awareness of new innovations underway, in particular in the area of life-saving eSafety technologies.”
 
Commenting on initiatives at the global level to improve road safety, the FIA President, Jean Todt, said, “We would like to see more ambitious road safety targets coming out of the CARS 21 Group in line with those set for the UN Decade of Action one year ago. We cannot forget that as many as 1.3 million people are killed on roads each year around the world and another 50 million injured. This is a global tragedy.”
 
He added, “Through the FIA’s Action for Road Safety campaign, the FIA is working with the support of our member Clubs to play our part in meeting the Decade’s ambitious goal to save five million lives on the world's roads in 10 years.”
 
Notes to the Editor:
CARS 21 Background Information
At today’s CARS 21 High Level Group meeting several Ministers, CEOs, Commissioners and other prominent stakeholders endorsed a final report which represents the EU’s strategy for the European automotive industrial sector in 2020 and beyond. Today’s report focuses on the actions needed to maintain a competitive manufacturing base in Europe and to ensure the development of sustainable technologies.
 
The CARS 21 High Level Group on the competitiveness and sustainable growth of the automotive industry in the EU was re-launched on 10 November 2010. It gathers prominent representatives of the EU Member States, other institutions, automotive industry, Trade Unions, NGO, users and the European Commission.
 
The CARS21 process is built on a three-level structure:
 
    * the High Level Group (Ministers, CEOs and Presidents of associations, etc.)
    * the “Sherpa” group responsible for preparing the input to the HLG
    * the Working groups, responsible for specific topics to be tackled at technical experts level.
 
The European automotive industry is a key sector for the European economy, providing over 12 million jobs and a positive contribution to the trade balance of around € 70 billion, which is essential for continued European prosperity.