driving

A driver has crossed one of the longest tunnels in Europe at more than 170 km/h. He is now banned from driving in all of Switzerland.

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A 22-year-old German has starred one of the most talked about chases of the last few weeks in Switzerland. And his journey through the gotthard tunnelone of the busiest arteries in Europe on the way to Italy, ended with an average speed that was triple the permitted limit, a positive drug test and a permanent ban on driving throughout the country. Below these lines we tell you all the details. what has happened. According to informed Uri cantonal police, the driver was driving south on the A2 motorway at dawn when, before reaching the northern portal of the St. Gotthard tunnel, he overtook another vehicle on the right, invading a delimited area. Once inside the tunnel, he wanted to continue freaking out. Accumulating fines. Once inside the almost 17 kilometers of tunnel, the young man carried out up to 21 overtaking maneuvers on a road with a double continuous line. Their average speed, calculated by the agents, was 171.8 km/h, more than double the limit allowed in the tunnel, which is 80 km/h. Normally, it would take a driver around 13 minutes to go through the tunnel. This guy did it in six minutes. Between the lines. The Gotthard tunnel is one of the most important mountain passes of Europe and one of the preferred routes for German tourists traveling to Italy, especially in the summer months. Precisely because of its intense traffic and its two-way route, any overtaking maneuver poses a risk of collision. The tunnel also has more than a hundred cameras and sensors that allow these types of violations to be captured in detail. So there was little he could do to escape the historical burden that fell on him. The consequences. The Ticino cantonal police finally managed to intercept the driver at the exit of the tunnel, immediately imposing a driving ban on him throughout Swiss territory. In addition, they demanded bail of several thousand euros, an amount that has not been revealed. Added to this is that the rapid drug test to which he was subjected tested positiveso now a blood test is also pending. Crime. The young man faces a complaint for serious speeding violation. According to collect According to the Berliner Zeitung newspaper, since a legal reform in 2023, Swiss courts have more room for maneuver when imposing sentences, which in some cases allows the prison sentence to be replaced by a fine if it is a first offense. Even so, according to the media, the law contemplates in these cases a minimum penalty of one year in prison, in addition to a fine and withdrawal of the license, and in the most serious cases the vehicle used may even be confiscated. The driver is now free, although he remains under investigation while the judicial proceedings progress. Cover image | Google Maps In Xataka | Electric car sales in Europe, on a revealing map with a devastating peninsula. Spoiler: it is not the Ibérica

China has reached the asteroid that has been driving astronomers crazy for a decade. And your first photo is already changing the answer

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After 400 days of travel, the Chinese Tianwen-2 probe has reached your goal: object 469219 Kamo’oalewa (2016HO3). The entire world astronomical community has its sights set on this trip, for the answers it can provide to a mystery that has been going on for more than a decade. However, as usually happens with missions carried out by China, we had little information about the journey until the ship was already at its destination. This occurred on July 4, although the Chinese National Space Administration, CNSA, announced it this July 6. Be that as it may, the important thing is that China has reached Kamo’oalewa, that terrestrial “minimoon” that has given scientists so many headaches since it was discovered in 2016. Now comes the good. Tianwen-2 was released on May 29, 2025. 400 days later, it has reached its first stop, just 20 kilometers from Kamo’oalewa. There, he has taken the first photos, which will help him map this object, in order to determine the best places for sampling. Then, it will be time to get down to work, to collect a series of samples that will be sent to Earth in 2027. Then, we will have a definitive answer to the million-dollar question: Is Kamo’oalewa an asteroid or a fragment that was ejected from the Moon? The instruments. This probe has 11 payloads, including instruments that will allow it to study both Kamo’oalewa and its next target: comet 311P/PANSTARRS. These instruments include cameras, laser measuring devices, spectrometers, sonar radars and particle analyzers. It also includes the DIANA dust analyzer, developed in Italy. First mission: map the surface. Currently, the Chinese probe is taking photographs from different angles to create a 3D model that will allow establishing the best places to take samples. Broadly speaking, these places must meet two requirements: be scientifically interesting and not pose risks for sampling. The latter includes, for example, no unstable ground or loose rocks. Second mission: take samples. Since the mission left without knowing exactly what the surface of Kamo’oalewa will be like, Tianwen-2 travels prepared to take samples through three different methods: suspension, touch and match and anchor and coupling. The first consists of keeping the probe in hover, without landing on the object, and taking out a robotic arm that will skim the surface to obtain the samples. The second method, on the other hand, uses a disc-shaped, gas-powered head that briefly but more strongly touches the surface. Afterwards, rotating brushes are released that, together with bursts of air, sweep away the material released with that blow of the disc. Finally, the anchoring and docking method consists of releasing four robotic arms that are fixed to the surface to extract material for a longer period of time. It would be the first time this method has been used in deep space. Tianwen-2 has been traveling for 400 days Third mission: send them to Earth. The samples will be sent to Earth in 2027 for analysis. However, during Tianwen-2’s flyby of Kamo’oalewa, some inquiries are already being made about it. Asteroid or lunar fragment? Until now, all that was known about Kamo’oalewa were hypotheses or estimates. It was believed to measure between 40 and 100 meters in diameter and that It had to be a fragment released from the Moon after a collision or an asteroid. The first hypothesis arose from a study using spectrometry, in which it was concluded that its surface is rich in silicates, like that of the Moon. The second has several origins, although gained weight after another study in which several collisions were modeled on a simulated Moon. In very few cases the released fragments became quasi-satellites of the Earth, so the asteroid would fit better. In its first days in the vicinity of Kamo’oalewa, Tianwen-2 has made a measurement of the surface reflectance of the object, which suggests that it has a high geometric albedo. That of the Moon is quite low, so the asteroid hypothesis would still fit. On the other hand, the first data indicate that Kamo’oalewa measures 20 meters in diameter. It is less than what was originally estimated, but practically the same as what was calculated with observations made by James Webb. According to a study published on July 1in these it was calculated that it would measure 18 meters and, again, it was suggested that it be an asteroid. Specifically, one of type E. What is this about quasi-satellites? Kamo’oalewa is considered a quasi-satellite of the Earth because, when viewed from our planet, it appears to revolve around us. But it’s not true. In reality, this object revolves around the Sun, like the Earth. What happens is that it has a period similar to that on Earth. It also takes about a year to completely circle the sun. This, together with the geometry of its orbit, creates that optical effect that it is actually a kind of terrestrial mini-moon. Now we know that, possibly, in addition to not being a mini moon Due to its orbit, it is not made of fragments of our satellite either. At least, it seems most likely, although, of course, we will have to wait for the samples to reach Earth. Then we can definitively put the mystery to rest. Image | CNSA In Xataka | The Earth has moons that we don’t know about: exploring them is key to revealing the secrets of our solar system

Xiaomi SkyNomad is Xiaomi’s new car brand and will arrive with a gigantic SUV where driving will be secondary

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Today we announce the second product from Xiaomi electrics: Xiaomi SkyNomad. The Xiaomi SU7 and XiaomiYU7 are positioned as “drivers’ cars.” Xiaomi SkyNomad is positioned as a “smart, configurable and spacious SUV.” Different product lines, two responses to two different use needs that we deliver after more than five years developing cars (in relation to the time that the car project has been underway) with this tweetLei Jun, CEO of Xiaomi, has given the first details of SkyNomad, Xiaomi’s second brand of electric vehicles of which there are not many confirmed details but of which the horizon is clearing a little. This post is followed by a whole thread of explanations in which Lei Jun gives some keys to what we can expect with this new sub-brand of the company that “will be launched soon in China”. Let’s break down everything we know. SkyNomad, everything we know about the new Xiaomi brand To get an idea of ​​what Xiaomi has on its hands, the first thing we are going to do is review the Twitter thread in which Lei Jun has given the first glimpses of what we can find in these new cars from the Chinese company. And we will cross this information with the rumors that are on the table. In his publications, Lei Jun explains that the car market in China has changed rapidly and that they are now very common “feature-packed six- and seven-seater interiors”. This, added to the concept of “spacious SUV” that the company’s CEO mentions at the beginning of the thread, already gives a clear idea of ​​what we will find. In recent years we have seen how the big Chinese brands have launched their own gigantic six or seven-seater SUVs with abilities as crazy as turning on itself or floating. But these vehicles are designed, above all, to be enjoyed from inside and from the rear seats. BYD with its subbrands Denza and Yangwang They have theirs either in SUV format or in minivan format with huge seats. He Zeekr 9Xhe Aito M9 (which partly copies the image of a Mercedes Maybach) or GWM’s Tank line are good examples. These SUVs, as we say, are focused on and for the rear seat passenger. They are generally cars with huge seats that have their own remote control to control some functions of the car and some of them come equipped with screens and a multimedia environment to work, make a video call or enjoy the trip watching television. “On the road, transport your family, friends, luggage, even pets, with generous space for everyone. Parked, it becomes a workspace, a living room or a family activity area,” says Lei Jun in this tweet which perfectly sums up what these cars have become. They are not cars that are enjoyed driving, they are multipurpose spaces with wheels. And confirm your positioning a little further down: Who is it intended for? For people who need a single car to cover the daily commute, family trips and the ability to occasionally work from the vehicle. It does not define a lifestyle, it is a flexible tool built to adapt to what the day requires. Professionals and parents, not two separate categories. The same person, at different times of the day. Taking all this into account, it is obvious that what Xiaomi wants with SkyNomad is to enter the game of China’s huge electric SUVs. That leaves us with some doubts that have yet to be resolved. In CarNewsChina and other chinese media They assure that these cars will be extended range electric. That is, they will be cars that have a combustion engine (according to rumors, a 1.5 turbocharged as is usually common in this type of Chinese car) to function as an electric generator. It is a type of car that can operate in completely electric mode or as series hybrid. That is, the combustion engine works like an electric generator that burns fuel to fill the battery, but the car is moved by electric motors that are fed by the energy stored there. These cars have the advantage that the combustion engine operates at the optimal rpm to consume the least possible amount of fuel and they maintain an electric touch. Furthermore, in both China and Europe they are classified as electric cars. although deep down they are not. The other big question is where Xiaomi will position itself. Although the concept of a six or seven-seater car designed by and to be enjoyed in the rear seats is only understood in Europe from a luxury point of view, in China this is not entirely the case. And a Yangwang U8 or Hongqui’s proposals are much more expensive than a Li Auto, for comparison. Until now, Xiaomi has been very clear about its positioning: offering more features than anyone else for the least money possible. This is the only way to explainunlike the price of the Porsche Taycan or the Tesla Model S Plaidwhom it leaves behind mechanically. With the Xiaomi YU7, a slightly more luxurious proposal has been sought than with the SU7, but it does not fight in the luxury segment. truly luxury cars. Lei Jun has made it clear that this car arrives with a new platform called Xiaomi Kunlun that will be nourished by other intelligent products of the company and that will become a full part of the company’s ecosystem. It is something that we could already expect seeing the integration that the brand has done with its mobile phones and all types of home devices. through the HyperOS that it has in the two cars that it has already launched on the market. Given the type of positioning that is sought with the car and the emphasis that the brand has been placing on itit is expected that the car, which according to the first test mules is estimated to be 5.3 meters long, will have extensive driving assistance functions to automate much of the trip. Photo | … Read more

Tesla wanted to have its autonomous driving system throughout Europe this summer. Sweden just made it very difficult for them

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The famous supervised autonomous driving system of Tesla (FSD) has crossed the Atlantic and is already preparing to circulate on European roads. However, the strategy does not seem to be going as well as the company would have liked, since it has run into regulators again. In this case, Sweden and its speed limits. Below these lines we tell you all the details. Arrival in Europe. It all started last April, when the Dutch traffic authority (RDW) approved the use of FSD in the Netherlandsbecoming the first European country to give the green light to the system. Since then, Belgium, Denmark, Lithuania and Estonia have followed suit with national approvals of their own. Tesla needed to gain traction in this way in its first European countries and that is what it has done. Now the next step is to obtain approval valid for the entire European bloc. And that’s more complicated than it seems. For FSD to circulate legally throughout the EU, the Technical Committee for Motor Vehicles (TCMV) you should vote for it with a qualified majority, with at least 15 of the 27 member states representing 65% of the community population. The committee is scheduled to meet June 30 to discuss the matter before a formal vote. Speed ​​limit. FSD includes a function called “Speed ​​Offset” that allows the driver to set a margin above the legal speed limit, so that the system itself drives exceeding that limit. In the United States, Tesla offered this under names like ‘Sloth’ or ‘Mad Max’. In Europe, those profiles have disappearedbut the possibility of exceeding the limit is still there under another name. Who says no, and why. The Swedish Transport Administration (TRV) sent a letter to the TCMV in April recommending voting against the FSD expansion if Tesla does not remove that feature. According to the document, obtained by Reuters“allowing automated systems to systematically exceed legal speed limits poses risks that undermine both the legal framework and the expected benefits of vehicle automation.” Finland and Norway have also been skeptical of the introduction of the system in their countries, although they have not yet formalized their position before the committee. What Tesla answers. The company has not commented publicly on the matter, but its user manual points out that drivers should not rely solely on the system to comply with speed limits and that they should drive “at a safe speed based on traffic and road conditions.” Their implicit argument is that FSD is a supervised system, as the driver remains responsible and can take control at any time. For Estonia, this reasoning has been sufficient to approve the system at the national levelalthough the country has not yet defined its vote in the TCMV. There is more at stake than speed. Various regulators have questioned also the performance of the system in extreme conditions with heavy snow (something common in Nordic countries) and the name “Full Self-Driving” itself, which could be misleading about the real level of autonomy of the vehicle. In fact, the European version already shows “FSD (Supervised)” on the screen instead of the full name, precisely to reduce that ambiguity. Additionally, Reuters public A few days ago, Tesla reportedly presented questionable safety data to European regulators, including the claim that FSD could have “saved 32,000 lives,” something that has not caught on, at least according to share Electrek. What is at stake Tesla. Tesla sales in Europe have plummeted significantly since 2025partly due to the impact of Elon Musk’s fleeting political activity, and the flood of new Chinese brands that have disrupted the sector. In fact, BYD has been outperforming him in registrations for several consecutive months. Tesla needs new arguments to regain ground, and FSD was one of them. Musk even publicly predicted that It would be available throughout the EU this summer. At the moment it seems difficult to achieve. In Xataka | Ferrari wants your car to charge itself in the sun while parked. One of his patents explains how

The DGT has never imposed so many penalties for drugged driving

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I’m going to make a confession: I’ve gotten hooked on Road Control. One day, YouTube put a 15-minute short video in front of my eyes. The algorithm hit home because right now I am bingeing on a product where the novelty is almost non-existent and is repeated like the worst fast food. And the surprise with each video is: none. Time and time again we attend a breathalyzer test where one, two or several drivers are “caught” under the influence of alcohol. “Have you had anything else,” the voice of the agent on duty sounds already tired. Then, drug controlnew positive and more problems for the unwary. If the premise has not yet convinced you, I will tell you that from time to time there are new features. Some driver has caused an accident and fled. Another skips the breathalyzer test and tries to flee. But the end is usually the same: positive for alcohol and/or drugs. Does it sound repetitive? Yes. But it is. At least that’s what the DGT data says, that in 2025 drug tests were carried out on more than 144,000 drivers. Of them, almost half took home a fine for having consumed some type of substance. More than 70,000 complaints The figure is rescued by our colleagues from Motorpassion. Last year the DGT punished 70,717 people for having tested positive in an anti-drug test. The figure comes in response to a parliamentary question from the Popular Party. It detailed that last year 144,346 roadside drug tests were carried out. That is, almost 50% of the people who faced these controls tested positive. The figure is much higher than in previous years. In 2025, 122,938 tests were carried out and then 64,314 positives were detected. Control on the roads has been increasing, they point out in Europa Press. According to the information detailed by the DGT, the data in the last five years are as follows: Year 2021: 123,211 tests and 41,067 sanctions. Year 2022: 58,126 tests and 42,103 sanctions. Year 2023: 101,927 tests and 50,002 sanctions. Year 2024: 122,938 tests and 64,314 sanctions. Year 2025: 144,346 tests and 70,717 sanctions. The fine for testing positive In a drug test it is 1,000 euros and the subtraction of six points on the driving license. In addition, the driver faces the withdrawal of his license from one to four years and a prison sentence of three to six months, a fine of six to 12 months and community service of 31 to 90 days if he commits a crime against traffic safety, is a repeat offender or if he has been involved in an accident. It must also be remembered that in a drug test, unlike an alcohol test, the amount of substance present in the body is not taken into account. If the control detects that it is present, the driver is sanctioned. This is important to take into account since some substances leave traces in the blood for days after being consumed. Photo | DGT In Xataka | Drunk driving is not enough to “arrest” someone: the Constitutional Court acquits a woman despite testing positive

Drivers born in 1956 will be able to renew their driving license for free in 2026. And it is possible because nothing has changed

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Drivers over 70 years of age will be able to renew their driving license for free. This year those born in 1956 or in previous years will be able to. But those born in 1955 were also able to do so last year. And, although you have read that the regulations have changed, the truth is that everything remains the same. And that’s an advantage for elderly drivers. From 1956. If we look back at the calendar, it is the line that marks who can renew their driving license for free and who cannot. And traffic regulations state that drivers aged 70 or older will renew their license completely free of charge. This rule, although you may have read the opposite in some media, is the same one that has been applied for years. And it is that on social networks and in the media we have read that “from 2026” drivers over 70 years of age will renew their driving license for free and that from the age of 65 onwards they will have to do so every five years (instead of the usual 10). It is a rule that has not undergone any change and that, as already The DGT itself told us last year When this information went viral again, it is something that has been applied for a long time. At the moment, the price of renewal of the driving license is 24.58 euros to which the cost of the medical examination must be added. What does the norm say?. When we want to renew the license to drive a car, three large groups are established according to the General Driver Regulations (Art.12.2): From 18 to 65 years old: the driving license is renewed every 10 years From 65 years of age and older: the driving license is renewed every five years From 70 years of age and older: the driving license is renewed every five years but the renewal is free Of course, it must be taken into account that a doctor can decide some restrictions. For example, it can shorten driver’s license renewal times and require a person over 70 years of age (or any other driver) to re-pass the medical exam, in which their driving abilities are evaluated. earlier than what would be required by general regulations. Yes, but. Indeed, those over 70 years of age can renew their driving license for free but, as a general rule, they have to do so more frequently than the rest of the groups described above. But they are also the age group on which the most restrictions are imposed. According to Mapfre, 61% of drivers People over 65 years of age have some type of limitation when driving and the DGT raises these figures to 81% of the elderly. A driver may be limited in the range in which he or she can drive, prohibited from driving at night or at maximum speed. Traffic officers know this because on our driver’s license Each of these limitations would be reflected with a code. Too long? If an 18-year-old driver renews his or her driving license every decade, he or she will have to pay the renewal fee up to five times. The last one would reach the age of 68 and from then on, if the deadlines are met every five years, the license would be renewed for free on another five occasions until the age of 93. The big question is whether driver’s license renewals extend too long in time. The director of the DGT himself already pointed out in November 2021 that it seemed excessive “that a 90-year-old person can have their driving license for five years without renewing it.” Despite this and despite the fact that a decade without passing a medical exam before renewing the license can also be too long even if we are under 65 years old, nothing has changed. Contradictory. One of the ideas that has been floating in the air for a long time is whether a person should lose their driving license after reaching an age. The European Union has been adamant about this idea: no. And from Brussels they consider that It would be a discriminatory rule and that it is the medical examinations that must continue to set the limits. María José Aparicio, deputy director of the DGT, I was aiming for 2021 that “in Spain, 28% of those killed in traffic accidents were over 65 years of age (data from 2019). These figures are going to worsen, if we do nothing, due to the aging of the population.” But this is probably due to the physical condition of these people, who are more likely to have more serious consequences in minor accidents. And these people over 70 years old are only immersed in the 12% of accidents and they crash four times less than the youngest, according to data from Mapfre. In addition, another problem is added. A good part of them They keep older and unsafe carseither because they have a tighter economy or because they do not want to make the investment. And it is also the group that adapts worst to the mandatory ADAS systemsdriving aids that They also cause confusion among younger people. Photo | Daniel Silva and DGT In Xataka | The DGT insists: there are drivers who are too old. But that’s not the main problem

In Singapore, luxury is not having a Ferrari or a Lamborghini. True luxury is simply driving

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Singaporethat small city/country-state between Malaysia and Indonesia where there are barely more than five million inhabitants, is a place of contrasts. While the enclave has a high degree of government control and certain practices that can be classified as repressive, on the other hand, new technologies are embraced to the point of being a world reference in the public sphere towards AI. There, having a car is not a practical necessity, it is a statement of status. Driving in Singapore. The story was told a year ago. the new york times. In Singapore, owning a car is not practical, it is more of a statement comparable to wearing a designer suit or sporting a luxury watch. The reason? He property certificate system (introduced in 1990 to control congestion and pollution) requires citizens to pay astronomical sums just for the right to buy a vehicle. These certificates, known as certificates of entitlement (COE), can reach up to $84,000raising the total price of common automobiles to exorbitant figures more typical of a supercar. As insurance agent Andre Lee, who in 2020 paid $24,000 for a Kia Forte Second-hand, having a car was simply part of his professional image, although he later recognized that the expense was not justified and chose to sell it. The price in 2026. This year, the COE system has prices that exceed usually $100,000 Singaporeans (about 70,000–85,000 euros) just for the right to circulate for ten years. The different categories oscillate in that range, with large and premium cars reaching the highest figures, while even commercial vehicles and motorcycles have seen notable increases compared to previous years. This volatility, with biweekly auctions that can move prices by thousands of euros, reflects a deja vu: an extremely stressed market where artificial scarcity imposed by the State continues to be the dominant factor, even above the cost of the vehicle itself. An unnecessary luxury. The underlying problem is also explained from another side. With a public transport network affordable and effective, few residents They really need a car to get around the city. Long rides cost less than two dollars and transportation apps like Grab are available. widely available. Despite this, twice a month they celebrate COE auctionswith limited quotas set by the government. This policy has been very effective: Singapore has only 11 cars per 100 inhabitants, far below countries like the United States or Italy, where the figure exceeds 75. Other cities have adopted anti-congestion measures, such as urban tolls in LondonStockholm or New Yorkbut none charges as much to own a car as Singapore. The car and social classes. For the richest in the country, purchasing a vehicle with all the associated costs does not represent a problem. Su-Sanne Ching, a businesswoman, said that paid $150,000 by a Mercedes-Benzincluding a COE of $60,000. On the other hand, for the middle class, especially families with children, the car becomes a luxury that is difficult to sustain. Joy Fang and her husband told the Times that they bought a used Hyundai Avante in 2022 for $58,000 to take his two children. Every month they allocate more than 10% of their family budget to maintain the vehicle, which has forced them to reduce outings and trips. Even so, they consider that the alternative (moving with small children and bags on public transport) is unviable. Help for electricians. Regarding “electrification”, the main aid (EEAI) has been reduced by half. Previously up to 15,000 SGD, and now it has a maximum of SGD 7,500. Not only that, apparently, it already has a date of disappearance by 2027. Plus: the VES system too has been adjusted and has progressively reduced incentives. In other words, this year, the nation seems to be in the phase of progressive withdrawal of aid to electric vehicles. Sometimes not even the symbolism. There are more extreme cases. Even for those who purchase a car for symbolic or professional reasons, as Andre Leecumulative expenses can cause the decision loses meaning. Maintenance, gas, parking and insurance end up exceeding initial expectations. Lee, for example, sold his car three years after purchasing it and now commutes by public transportation, or borrows his father’s vehicle when he needs to meet clients. In his opinion, there are other priorities that ended up outweighing the image projected by having your own car. Rational choice versus chaos. Singapore’s restrictive model contrasts with that of other Southeast Asian cities like Jakarta or Bangkokwhere extreme traffic turns travel into an odyssey. For many Singaporeans, giving up the personal car is a reasonable price to enjoy clearer streets and fast journeys. In this regard and according to sociologist Chua Beng Huatthe choice is cultural and practical: the population prefers to avoid long hours behind the wheel. The man himself, despite owning a BYD SUV to transport his grandchildren, says he uses the subway when he goes downtown. Ultimately, the car in Singapore appears to have become an aspirational rather than a functional commodity, one reserved for those who can afford it without compromising their finances. Unlike other parts of the world where the vehicle represents an almost imperative need for mobility or independence, in the island-state it is, for many, a luxury that compares with the most ostentatious objects. Driving there is like having a Rolex, or almost. Image | William Cho In Xataka | Guide to know if your car will be able to circulate in the ZBEs of Madrid in 2025: labels, registrations and areas In Xataka | How to make an appointment at the IMSS online in Mexico A version of this article was published in 2025. We have updated its content with everything that has happened since then.

Europe has been committed to digitizing our identity and the first piece of the puzzle is provided by Spain: the driving license

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Europe wants gather all your documentation on your mobile. IDs, medical history, academic titles, bank card. A single digital wallet for any management in each of the member countries. From Brussels they want to standardize the use of their digital application for everyone and the first document that will officially cross borders will be the driver’s license. Something that in Spain, precisely, It doesn’t catch us by surprise. The European Union approved in May 2024 the eIDAS 2.0 regulationthe rule that obliges all member states to make a digital identity wallet available to their citizens before the end of 2026. The legal framework establishes that each country must have at least one digital wallet solution available before the end of that year. The long-term goal is that by 2030, around 80% of European citizens are expected to use the digital identity wallet. But what exactly is this wallet? Called EUDI Wallet, andIn practice, it is an application that we will have to install on the phone and where the citizen can store and share their credentials: from the DNI to the passport, driving license, medical prescriptions or university degrees. The idea is that we can do it in any EU country and without the need to create additional accounts or depend on private platforms. driving license, the first piece Of all the documents that will fit in this European wallet, driving license is the first to move. In the end, it is a document that tens of millions of people use every day, which is already digitized in several countries and which has an immediate practical application, beyond being able to identify ourselves. Several countries have announced that they will launch their version of the EUDI Wallet with limited functionalities, including digital driving license for use in face-to-face controls. The idea is to expand the system in layers: start with what already works, and build on that. From Biometric Update they point out that wallet interoperability between different countries is the most complex technical challenge, as it requires constant standardization and cross-testing between national systems. Surprisingly, Spain takes the lead While a good part of Europe is still studying how to articulate its solution, Spain is already underway myDGTthe app of the General Directorate of Traffic that has been operational since 2020. Spain was the first EU country to launch a digital card, and today the application serves six million users with 14 different procedures without having to go to any traffic headquarters. The miDGT digital driving license has full legal validity before any authority within the national territory. If you already use it, you will have noticed that the card incorporates a dynamic QR code that changes every few minutes to avoid impersonations and allows you to check in real time that the data is updated. The main limitation is that the miDGT digital permit It is only valid in Spain. If you travel abroad, it is still mandatory to carry a physical card, because other countries have not yet officially recognized this digital format. And that is precisely what the EUDI Wallet comes to solve. In addition to miDGT, Spain’s digital ecosystem goes further. Here we also have the app My Citizen Folderwhich helps us centralize a multitude of procedures with the public administration in a single point. And on the other hand, relatively recently we also have the app MIDNIwhich is simply a digital version of our identity document so that we can show it directly from our mobile phone. Germany accelerates from behind Each member state finds itself at a very different starting point. In the case of Germany, its government approved a legislative reform in November 2025 that lays the foundations for the digital driving license, and the Bundestag ratified the bill just last month. For the country, the goal is to have the national digital card available before the end of 2026. Thus, in Germany drivers can now carry their vehicle’s registration certificate in digital format. They do this through the i-Kfz app, developed by the German Federal Printing Office and the Federal Traffic Agency. The driving license itself is integrated into that same application. It will start as a volunteer One of the most relevant aspects of the EUDI Wallet design is that its use is voluntary. In principle no one is obliged to have it. But history repeats itself, and seeing what we have already experienced with the great digital transitions (online banking, contactless payments, making an appointment online…), it is possibly the first step so that something that begins as something optional ends up being the norm and whoever does not use it in the coming decades has the risk of being at a disadvantage for certain procedures. In Mexico they have a similar messalthough there they are going through a bigger problem that involves several fronts. On the other hand, it should be noted that the system also incorporates quite complete security and privacy measures. An example: if someone needs to prove that they are of legal age to buy alcohol, the wallet could confirm only that information without revealing name, address or any other personal information, something that in computing is known as Zero-Knowledge (an architecture to verify one piece of information without revealing other more sensitive ones). Bad business for a minor who wants to buy alcohol, but a return to ‘excuse me sir, could you buy me beer?’ The regulation establishes that citizens will have full control over what data they share with third parties, and that wallets will have to publish their code under an open source license to ensure transparency and independent audits. The outlook is green in several countries With the December 2026 deadline upon us, the reality is that not all countries will arrive at the same time or with the same level of functionality. Netherlands, for example, already has pointed out that will probably not meet the deadline, and several member states are starting from digital identity infrastructures that are still … Read more

Dubai was a mecca for expats. Now they are driving 10 hours and paying thousands of dollars for a flight to escape from there

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Iran has shown it needs very little to upend Middle East air traffic and hit the United Arab Emirates (UAE) where it hurts the most: the image of reliability that has been built for years at an international level, with great benefitsby the way. The wave of attacks launched by Tehran to neighboring countries that facilitate US military deployment in the region, such as Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait or the UAE itself, has affected thousands of flights and left a curious image: expats desperate to leave Dubai. There are those who are shelling out large sums to fly on private jets and those who have even driven 10 hours to get to Riyadh and get on a plane there. What has happened? If Tehran wanted to damage the image of stability of neighbors like the UAE, it was completely right. Although the country managed to intercept most of the drones and missiles launched by Iran, the truth is that some of the projectiles reached Dubai, the tourist and financial heart of the region. In practice, this translated into fires in luxury hotels, towers with windows shattered by explosions, a knocked out airport and, above all, considerable reputational damage for a city that has spent years building the image of a safe and comfortable destination for expats. Sums it up beautifully Elizabeth Rayment, a consultant caught off guard by the Iranian attack in Palm Islands: “You never expect to hear missiles flying overhead in Dubai.” Have there been more consequences? Yes. The most serious are undoubtedly the victims. Arab News I was talking yesterday about three deceased and 58 injured in the United Arab Emirates. There are not many if you take into account that the country’s authorities claim to have detected a total of 156 ballistic missiles and several cruise missiles, in addition to more than half a thousand drones, most of them intercepted and destroyed. The other consequence is the chaos generated in air traffic in the Persian Gulf, where some airports and airlines have had to suspend their operations, affecting both customers in the region and others who had planned to pass through Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Qatar to take connecting flights between Europe and Asia. Have many been cancelled? FlightAware estimates that around 2,800 operations and on Sunday more than 3,1500. Added to these are the flights canceled and suspended today by Gulf airlines. For reference, Financial Times assured this morning that more than half of the services that had been booked for today in the region have been cancelled. The Iranian attacks have altered to a greater or lesser extent the programming of Emirates, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways and the airports of Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi, as well as other terminals in Kuwait and Bahrain. The BBC has chatted with travelers who have found flights canceled upon arriving at the terminal. There are those who already talk about the biggest crisis aviation since the pandemic. How do I leave the country? That is the question that expats and tourists have been asking themselves since Saturday. The Iranian attacks have surprised them in the region and now they find that there are few (or no) regular flights that take them to other parts of the globe. Faced with such a scenario, there are those who have armed themselves with patience, those who have drawn on their checkbook and those who have resigned themselves to traveling kilometers and kilometers to reach airports with flights. So I told it a few hours ago FTwhich speaks of “tens of thousands of passengers” stranded in the region and assures that there are Dubai residents who have traveled to neighboring Oman to get a flight. What’s more, some have even driven 10 hours to get on a plane in Riyadh. They don’t have it easy. Most scheduled flights these days between Muscat (Oman) and Europe are reserved. And what do they do? The wealthiest, pull out their checkbook and try their luck with private jet companies. EnterJet, which is dedicated to intermediating between customers and available planes, says that reservations have skyrocketed 40% since the weekend. The problem is that the sector also has its limitations. Its founder explains to Financial Times that “the only viable option” to operate is the Muscat terminal, which makes it difficult to obtain landing slots. Added to this are the difficulties in finding ships. The businessman hopes that as traffic recovers in the Gulf, private flights will increase. Are they very expensive? The situation in the Gulf has caused a curious effect: while the price of airlines such as International Airlines Group or Air France-KLM they resent the price of private services skyrockets. The JetVip agency (Oman) explains to Guardian that a flight to Istanbul on a small Nextant jet costs around 85,000 euros, about three times the normal price. The same media reveals that seats on private charter flights to Moscow are paid for about 20,000 euros… per person. Rates vary depending on the company, but they usually always range in the five digits, or even more. It may sound strange, but we must keep in mind that Donald Trump has hinted that the offensive against Iran could continue even further. “four weeks” and the question remains as to how Tehran will respond. Added to this is that over the last few years the UAE has managed to position itself as a priority destination for thousands of expatsa position largely based on reliability and stability that Tehran has now managed to damage with missiles. Images | Michael Ranzau (Flickr) In Xataka | The arrival of the B-2s to Iran can only mean one thing: the search for the greatest threat to the United States has begun

China is filling up with “quadricycles” that do not require a driving license. And they are a problem for road safety

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The two times I have been to China, two things about its automobile fleet have caught my attention: the furor for electric cars in terms of brands, models and dealerships, because you can almost find one on every corner of any central street in the big cities. And on the other side of the coin, I was also struck by the enormous amount of motorbikes (scooter is saying a lot) and cars without licenses parked in any side and circulating any manner. Don’t call it a light quadricycle, rather say laotoule. There they are known as “laotoule”, something like that like the joy of the old man. Because if in Spain the light quadricycles you see are usually driven by older people, in China too. They began to be seen back in the 90s from tuk-tuk modifications three wheels in rural areas, although today they have capacity for up to five people and a very diverse aesthetic. From occasional mobility to a vehicle for everything. Although the older ones are the star group, they are not the only ones: they are vehicles with very clear profiles of occasional use and short and (relatively) simple trajectories. As collects China Dailythese vehicles are the main means of transportation for running errands or picking up elderly grandchildren, but in recent years they have expanded their range to younger people: they offer a closed space and solve the problem of having to travel at a low cost. According to the China Electric Vehicle Associationannual sales of these lightweight non-highway quadricycles increased from 1.1 million in 2017 to 2.1 million in 2023, of which 1.4 million went to seniors. According to an investigation According to Banyuetan, the magazine linked to the official Chinese news agency Xinhua, these cars are flooding rural roads and urban peripheries. And its proliferation has aroused the suspicion of the authorities. The legal vacuum of laotoule. Because unlike Spain, where any motor vehicle requires a technical sheet and a license plate, in China they have been marketed as if they were devices for personal mobility, something like a scooter or an electric wheelchair. Thus, the bulk of laotoule are sold without registration or approval or the need to pass your MOT. In fact, they are increasingly sold online. like low cost imitations of luxury cars. There is even a Porsche Cayenne without a license. Because there are brands and models of Chinese electric cars to bore, in a light quadricycle version, too. In fact, There are even Maseratis and Porsche Cayenne modelsor rather, Maserati style and Porsche style, because they are not official from the respective houses. And because the Maserati costs about 3,200 euros in exchange. Is take a look at the Alibaba website and find models for all tastes, such as this Mini. Also There is a version without a license of Xiaomi’s second electric car, the ambitious Xiaomi YU7as you can see below these lines. From afar they hit the mark, up close already such. Under that attractive bodywork they hide electric motors of low or medium power and a top speed of up to 70 km/h. Tap to go to the post. The card-free version of the Xiaomi YU7 The real problem is road safety. Leaving aside industrial property issues, laotoules look like miniature cars but they are not: they lack basic elements that are found in passenger cars, such as steel frames or airbags. The Banyuetan report echoes of a fatal hit by a 59-year-old driver in a laotule in Hebei, northern China. From prohibition to regulation. Some local administrations have already made a move: since January 1, 2024, cities such as Luoyang or Beijing banned circulation on public roads to low-speed three- and four-wheel electric vehicles. However, there is a middle way: China issued a regulation of technical specifications and safety requirements for electric vehicles, finally classifying laoutoule as motor vehicles. From here and as explained by Lu Yong, researcher in the low-speed electric vehicle sector for Sixth Tone: “We must recognize the real demand for low-speed vehicles and strengthen the design at national level, both for industry development and traffic management. Clear and enforceable rules must be quickly introduced for both product and driving standards, as well as for road access.” In Xataka | China has so many electric cars running on its streets that it is going to use them to generate energy for homes In Xataka | China is the only country in the world where car prices are falling. So much so that the Government is taking measures

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