Bliq.ai gained approval to operate self-driving cars in Finland, its second EU market after Estonia. First stop is winter Helsinki.
Europe has another driverless car heading onto its roads. Finland has cleared Bliq.ai to operate their Bliq Driverless vehicles on public roads, effective immediately. It is the second EU country to approve the rollout, after Estonia in May.
The launch begins in Helsinki, with a safety driver on board for now. Testing will begin shortly and will continue throughout the Nordic winter. That’s the point. Bliq wants to test its system in one of the harshest driving environments in Europe.
“This approval brings us closer to making driverless mobility part of everyday life across Europe,” said Julian Glaab, CEO and co-founder of Bliq. The launch in Helsinki will be led by Erik Safonov, who already heads the company’s operations in the Baltics.
Not another robotaxi
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Bliq is taking a different path than most autonomous vehicle companies. It does not manufacture its own cars. Instead, it equips existing software-defined vehicles with a sensor and computing kit, turning them into driverless vehicles.
The current system combines AI-based Level 2 driving with remote human supervision. A person can intervene from afar if something goes wrong. That combination allows Bliq to deploy quickly while maintaining a safety net.
The argument is that autonomy should not be limited to within robotaxi fleets. Bliq wants the technology in the cars that people and companies already drive. In Estonia, where it gained approval for fully autonomous vehicles in May, it says it runs Europe’s largest driverless fleet, around a dozen vehicles.
Europe moves forward a little
The continent has been slow but firm in terms of autonomy. Belgium ran First level 4 road test in Europe. Baidu’s Apollo Go won Level 4 approval in Switzerland. Verne launched a Pony.ai robotaxi service in Zagreb.
The technology has stuck beforeand tighter EU vehicle rules keeps raising the bar. But approvals are piling up. Bliq’s next goal is Germanywhere it started.
For now, the landmark is modest and well-kept. A safety driver still sits behind the wheel in Helsinki. But Finland represents a hard, cold test for Bliq and another EU flag on the map.
