Message from EUCAR Chair 2026
Across Europe, commercial vehicles and passenger cars are used daily to move goods, materials, and people – playing an essential role in efficient, sustainable transport and logistics that underpin Europe’s competitiveness and resilience.
Although there are similarities between commercial vehicles and passenger cars, major differences exist, such as policy and regulatory frameworks, dealer networks, business-to-business relationships, total cost of ownership, and business requirements for vehicle uptime. European heavy-duty trucks currently lead the shift toward zero-emission solutions, yet this leadership faces challenges. Acknowledging these distinctions between small and large vehicles will be key to the success of the Automotive Action Plan and the upcoming EU Automotive Joint Undertaking.
The year 2026 will be pivotal for Europe’s automotive industry, and for EUCAR as an organisation, as it shapes its research and innovation strategies for the future. The sector must navigate significant challenges, including tougher competition from other parts of the world, substantial investments in key technologies, and rapid geopolitical changes that are affecting consumers’ interest and capacity to purchase new vehicles.
The green and digital transformation, propelled by electrification, software-defined vehicles, automation and artificial intelligence, is fundamentally reshaping the landscape of the transportation sector. Technological advances are now occurring through significant leaps rather than gradual progression. This evolution necessitates enhanced collaboration throughout the entire value chain – including vehicle OEMs, fuel suppliers, infrastructure developers, commercial fleet operators, policymakers, and the energy industry.
Despite its challenges, the automotive sector continues to lead in research and development investment and represents 8 percent of the EU workforce, supporting more than 13 million indirect jobs. The volatility experienced in 2025 underscores the importance of agility, adaptability, and strategic adjustment as essential qualities for maintaining relevance and competitiveness. In this context, we commend the European Commission’s commitment to aligning innovation with competitiveness, as well as its efforts to streamline and coordinate funding mechanisms.
Innovation must accelerate – from research to market uptake – making the EU Research and Innovation system vital for our industry and for our society overall. I am convinced that collaborative research and strong European partnerships will drive breakthrough technologies and faster market uptake, resulting in a future where the green and digital transition strengthens our competitiveness. This will require innovation across the entire ecosystem, clear funding pathways from research to deployment, and new ways of working that enable speed and decisive action.
Europe must aim to provide options for the safest and cleanest mobility solutions for all, delivered by a robust, globally competitive, and future-ready automotive sector.
Helene Niklasson
Head of Innovation Ecosystems & Partnerships
Volvo Group