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Von der Leyen Calls for Europe-Wide Push on AI-Powered Cars to Revive Auto Industry

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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has urged the European Union to embrace an “AI first” strategy for the automotive sector, calling for a coordinated effort to develop self-driving cars made in Europe. Speaking at Italian Tech Week in Turin, the continent’s automotive capital, she argued that artificial intelligence could rejuvenate Europe’s car industry while enhancing road safety and sustainability.

“Self-driving cars are already a reality in the United States and China. The same should be true here in Europe,” von der Leyen said, emphasizing that “AI first” must also mean “safety first.” Her comments reflect growing concern in Brussels about the competitiveness gap between European automakers and tech-led rivals abroad, particularly in the U.S. and China, where AI-driven mobility is advancing rapidly.

Von der Leyen proposed creating a network of European cities to serve as autonomous vehicle pilot zones, noting that 60 Italian mayors have already expressed interest in joining the initiative. She pledged EU support for vehicles “made in Europe, and made for European streets,” positioning AI innovation as a cornerstone of industrial revival and regional independence.

The announcement comes amid intense pressure on Europe’s automotive sector, which employs millions of workers and faces simultaneous demands to decarbonize and digitize. Von der Leyen argued that AI-driven transport could reduce congestion, connect rural communities, and preserve jobs by enabling a new ecosystem of European-designed mobility technologies.

Also speaking at the event were Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Ferrari and Stellantis Chairman John Elkann, and other global technology leaders—highlighting the deepening link between Silicon Valley innovation and Europe’s manufacturing transformation.

“The future of cars—and the cars of the future—must be made in Europe,” von der Leyen concluded, framing AI not as a threat but as the engine of Europe’s next industrial renaissance.

AI Startup DualEntry Raises $90 Million to Challenge ERP Giants

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New York-based AI startup DualEntry has raised $90 million in a Series A funding round led by Lightspeed Venture Partners and Khosla Ventures, aiming to shake up the entrenched enterprise resource planning (ERP) software market long ruled by heavyweights such as Oracle NetSuite, Sage, and Acumatica.

GV (Google Ventures) also joined the round, valuing the year-old company at $415 million — a sign of investors’ growing appetite for AI-driven enterprise tools that streamline operations and eliminate long-standing inefficiencies in business management systems.

REVOLUTIONIZING ERP MIGRATIONS

DualEntry’s main product is an AI-native ERP platform designed to automate financial workflows and drastically reduce the time and cost of system migrations. Its flagship capability, called “NextDay Migration,” can reportedly transfer a company’s historical financial data from legacy systems to DualEntry’s platform within 24 hours, compared to the months-long implementations typical in traditional ERP setups.

The company’s strategy targets mid-sized businesses — firms that have outgrown entry-level tools like QuickBooks but lack the resources or appetite for expensive, complex ERP overhauls.

“The process of moving to a traditional ERP can be clunky, expensive, and painful,” said CEO Santiago Nestares, who founded DualEntry after struggling with ERP migration in his previous company. “We built a platform that gets businesses live in 24 hours.”

RAPID GROWTH AND INVESTOR CONFIDENCE

Since its launch, DualEntry has attracted a diverse customer base — from startups to publicly listed companies — and plans to use the new funding to expand its 40-person team, accelerate product development, and scale internationally.

Lightspeed partner Ravi Mhatre said DualEntry’s approach replaces armies of consultants with automation:

“It takes an understanding of how complex ERP migration really is, and training AI to act as the data consultants that would normally handle the process. That drastically accelerates everything.”

A $500 BILLION MARKET RIPE FOR CHANGE

Analysts estimate the global ERP market is worth $500 billion, yet innovation has stagnated since the industry’s transition from on-premise to cloud systems. Many legacy providers still depend on third-party consultants charging by the hour, creating a slow and costly adoption cycle.

DualEntry’s model aims to disrupt that structure — not only by cutting costs but by enabling companies to deploy systems in days rather than quarters. With automation and AI at its core, investors say the startup is tapping into both the digital transformation wave and a looming talent shortage in accounting and financial operations.

If successful, DualEntry could redefine how businesses approach ERP — turning a process notorious for frustration and downtime into one measured in hours instead of months.

Stellantis and Mistral AI Deepen Partnership to Accelerate AI Integration

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Carmaker Stellantis (STLAM.MI) and French artificial intelligence firm Mistral AI announced an expansion of their partnership to accelerate AI adoption across Stellantis’ global operations. The announcement was made during the Italian Tech Week in Turin on Wednesday, highlighting the companies’ shared vision of integrating AI into every aspect of automotive production and business management.

The two firms have already been collaborating for the past 18 months on pilot projects exploring the use of AI in vehicle manufacturing, logistics, and customer experience. The new agreement introduces two dedicated platforms — Innovation Lab and Transformation Academy — aimed at scaling these initiatives across Stellantis’ global business.

Two New Platforms to Drive AI Adoption

  • Innovation Lab: Will focus on deploying AI solutions in sales, marketing, and aftersales operations, with the goal of personalizing customer interactions, improving dealership efficiency, and optimizing service networks.

  • Transformation Academy: Will develop AI-driven tools for core production and operational processes, including quality control, supply chain optimization, and predictive maintenance.

According to the joint statement, the collaboration will allow Stellantis to “improve customer service, increase productivity, and enhance data-driven decision-making.” The companies also emphasized that their partnership reflects the strategic importance of AI in transforming the automotive industry, from vehicle design and production to customer engagement.

Stellantis — parent company of brands such as Peugeot, Fiat, Jeep, and Citroën — has made digital transformation a key pillar of its Dare Forward 2030 strategy, which seeks to turn the automaker into a more agile and technology-driven organization.