The costs are just as dramatic as the figures. Worldwide, the economic losses caused by traffic accidents amount to around 518 billion US dollars per year. For many countries, this corresponds to up to three percent of their gross domestic product – money that is missing for infrastructure, education, or climate protection. Even more serious is the pressure on healthcare systems: according to OECD estimates, up to 40 percent of all emergency beds worldwide are occupied by accident victims. Whoever refuses modern safety technology is not only rejecting progress – but also rejecting human lives.

Drive-by-Wire as a Global Obligation

The technology to change this development already exists. Drive-by-Wire is the central prerequisite for autonomous driving. Only when decisions of artificial intelligence are implemented directly, redundantly, and in real time can the more than 90 percent of human-made accidents be drastically reduced. Without Drive-by-Wire, even the most advanced AI theory – and the chance to save millions of lives – remains pure illusion.

The fields of application are diverse: In India, electronically controlled school buses could prevent fatal accidents in dense city traffic. In Africa, microfleets for the last mile provide safe and reliable connections even in remote regions. In South America, autonomous smart buses safely connect slums with urban centres. And in the USA and Europe, more precise control systems, connected networks, and automated processes lead to fewer emergencies, lower insurance premiums, and reduced CO₂ emissions.

In addition, Drive-by-Wire creates a level of mobility that is more inclusive than ever before. People who were previously excluded – because they are too old, too young, or physically impaired – can once again participate in road traffic through digital interfaces and semi- or fully autonomous modes.

Steer-by-Wire: Safety Already Today

But Drive-by-Wire brings advantages not only in fully autonomous operation. Even today, Steer-by-Wire ensures immediate safety gains. By eliminating the mechanical steering column, one of the classic sources of injury in frontal crashes is removed. At the same time, electronic steering allows for more precise lane-keeping, a parametrisation of the steering angle, and thus a reduction of human error.

Another aspect is the Force Feedback technology that Arnold NextG has developed in addition to NX NextMotion. It digitally simulates the feedback of traditional steering mechanics – with adjustable resistance, realistic haptics, and adaptable sensitivity. This not only creates increased driving comfort but also additional safety: driver and system sense the road condition directly, while critical situations can be actively compensated at the same time.

Thus, even without full autonomy, Drive-by-Wire – with Steer-by-Wire and Force Feedback – is already today a direct contribution to road safety.

The Consequences of Inaction

The alternative to drive-by-wire is alarmingly clear: millions more deaths, even though the technology is available. Societies that actively refuse safety and inclusion would represent an ethical failure on a global scale. Those who postpone safety make themselves complicit in a development that has been statistically documented for decades — and is technically preventable.

Arnold NextG Provides the Answer

The world has a mobility problem – and Arnold NextG provides a solution. With NX NextMotion, a platform is available that can be used worldwide: certified, scalable, and retrofit-capable, from Mumbai to Munich, from Bogotá to Boston. NX NextMotion turns a technological demand into an industrial reality – and thus becomes the foundation of a new era of safe, connected, and inclusive mobility. The future drives autonomously. Everything else is irresponsible.

NX NextMotion will enter series production from 2026. What begins today as a safety platform will tomorrow become the backbone of connected, autonomous mobility. Not someday – but now.

We control what moves.