, Columnist
When Cars Talk, What Language Should They Speak?
EU lawmakers shouldn’t try to pick one tongue - even if that comes at a cost to Germany’s car industry.
What should be the common language (for cars)?
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If you’ve bought a new car lately, chances are it has some basic communication skills. One day, cities and highways could be full of self-driving vehicles, all talking directly with each other to coordinate traffic and prevent accidents.
Do they all need to speak the same language? In Europe, lawmakers may be about to make them pick one. The implications and costs for automakers, telecom carriers and equipment makers could be substantial. Hopefully, officials will allow a range of tongues to coexist while the technology emerges from its infancy.