Minister: All imported cars to have safety sensors from 2018
Yisrael Katz announces new condition for licenses a day after Mobileye bought out by Intel
Sue Surkes is The Times of Israel's environment reporter
Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz on Tuesday said Israel will begin requiring a safety sensor system be installed in every imported car starting January 2018.
The announcement came a day after a historic buyout of Israeli car-sensor technology giant Mobileye by Intel.
“Every car that’s imported into Israel will have to have smart systems, life-saving systems, installed as a condition for receiving a license in Israel,” Katz said at a joint press conference with the heads of Mobileye.
Intel announced Monday that it had agreed to buy the Jerusalem-based developer of advanced vision and autonomous driving systems, for $15.3 billion, in the biggest high-tech deal in Israeli history.
Ziv Aviram, Mobileye’s director-general, hailed the move.
“You’ve now declared that you’re going to pull out all the stops to fight traffic accidents. We’ll set an example to the world,” he said, according to the Ynet news site.
Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon (Kulanu) meanwhile promised Tuesday that the tax revenue from the sale would be returned to the public in the form of lowered taxes or public services, adding that there would be an emphasis on assisting young couples.
Aviram told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had called to congratulate him, that Mobileye would establish a world development center in Israel and would take responsibility internationally, on behalf of Intel, for the creation of a driverless car, a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office said.
