Nearly 50 European enterprises called on European Commission on Thursday to halt an artificial intelligence act, warning that unclear and overlapping regulations are threatening the EU's competitiveness in the global AI race, reported by the Financial Times.
In an open letter, heads of 44 large European companies urged European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to introduce a two-year pause, and called on the authorities to adopt a more "innovation-friendly" regulatory approach.
The letter from CEOs was organized by the EU AI Champions Initiative, a body representing 110 companies across the continent's industries, with signatory companies including Airbus, ASML, Mercedes-Benz, and numerous other local European AI companies.
The letter said that the EU's complex rules put "Europe's AI ambitions at risk, as it jeopardises not only the development of European champions, but also the ability of all industries to deploy AI at the scale required by global competition."
The act entered into force in August of last year, marking the world's first comprehensive regulation on artificial intelligence.
Top European companies urge European Commission to halt AI Act
Top European companies urge European Commission to halt AI Act
Facing record fuel price hikes triggered by the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, more and more Thais are turning to new energy vehicles (NEVs) to cut transportation costs.
Since the outbreak of the war on Feb 28, the shipping crisis in the Strait of Hormuz has now become the largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market, accelerating high energy costs. As a result, Thais have experienced a sharp increase in fuel prices in their country and are spending much more on public transportation.
Diesel prices in Thailand have risen from 29.94 baht (nearly 0.92 U.S. dollars) per liter to 47.74 baht (about 1.46 U.S. dollars), a surge of about 59 percent.
Gasoline prices have also shot up by about 34.24 percent.
Recently, at gas stations across Thailand, people are lining up to fill up their tanks before further price rises.
"We have to pay more for the same amount of fuel now. So, we motorcycle drivers are making less money than before. This is affecting our families' livelihoods," said a motorcycle driver.
The worsening fuel crisis has prompted Thai people to take a pragmatic look at vehicle costs, and NEVs are gaining favor due to their lower operating costs.
At the Bangkok International Motor Show which concluded on Sunday, the visitors' focus had shifted from traditional gasoline-powered vehicle to NEVs.
"High fuel costs are causing increasing pressure. NEVs perfectly meet people's current mobility needs. Using electricity significantly reduces transportation costs," said a visitor at the auto show.
The event featured 37 major exhibitors, with Chinese brands accounting for 14 booths, nearly 40 percent of the total.
As many Chinese NEV manufacturers actively participated in the exhibition, Chinese brands became the top choice for many Thai consumers when purchasing vehicles.
Data released by the organizing committee of the auto show showed that in the first seven days of the event, vehicle pre-orders exceeded 40,000 units, a year-on-year increase of 68.8 percent.
Among them, NEV models including pure electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids accounted for as much as 80 percent of the total.
And among the top five brands by pre-order volume, Chinese brands occupied three spots.
"The selection of NEVs we are offering right now comes at a perfect time and also provides a great opportunity for Thai consumers," said Ke Yubin, a person with a Chinese NEV company.
"Rising oil prices are an unavoidable topic. The introduction of NEVs has offered Thai consumers more choices," said Cui Junyuan, local head of another Chinese NEV company.
Soaring fuel prices triggered by ongoing Middle East conflict drive Thais to NEV purchases
