China first to full self-driving: HERE CEO

CLOSELY FOLLOWED BY GERMANS AND AMERICANS

- VIKRAM CHAUDHARY

AS THE RACE for autonomous driving enters a decisive phase in 2026, Mike Nefkens, CEO of HERE Technologies, believes the finish line is coming into view.

In a conversation with FE’s Vikram Chaudhary, Nefkens said that while the technology exists, the victory will go to the nation that can balance innovation with cost-efficiency — likely to be China.

Why China leads

While fully self-driving cars (Level 3 and beyond) are a technical reality, Nefkens pointed out that 'fully' launching them remains a hurdle. High-end sensors can add up to $40,000 to a vehicle's price tag, and navigating public road permissions is a legal minefield.