Nokia’s CEO discusses autonomous vehicles and net neutrality

Autonomous vehicles and net neutrality are two hot topics in the tech world right now and Nokia CEO Rajeev Suri addressed them both at MWC 2015 yesterday. Suri discussed how the wireless networks that connect self-driving cars need to improve before the technology can become mainstream. He also mentioned net neutrality, saying that it may seem good to consumers in the short terms but the longer term is a different story. 

Nokia’s chief executive has raised concerns about Net neutrality because he thinks futuristic technologies like self-driving cars will be held back by a totally open system. Speaking at industry gathering Mobile World Congress, Nokia CEO Rajeev Suri looked to the future of the company following the sale of its mobile device business to Microsoft and subsequent restructuring. Suri reckons Nokia is “at the forefront” of the burgeoning automated car industry thanks to its mapping division Here. Here licenses maps to many automotive manufacturers as cars become more connected, and is positioning itself to play a large part when self-driving cars hit the road. “There are some services that simply require a different level of connectivity,” says Suri. He believes there are some networks that “you can’t do in a best-effort network,” naming driverless cars and health care communications with doctors and hospitals connecting to patients. “You need this differentiated quality of service,” he said.