Czech PM stresses importance of auto industry

PRAGUE, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis said Monday that it's important to maintain the prosperity of automotive Industry in the country, and related problems must be solved.

"The automotive Industry is facing strategic challenges, particularly in the need to adapt to the onset of e-mobility, autonomous driving and digitization," said Babis at a colloquium on the Future of the Automotive Industry at the Skoda Auto headquarters in Mlada Boleslav.

The Czech economy is heavily dependent on the automotive Industry. Statistics show that auto Industry generates 9 percent of its GDP and accounts for 26 percent of total industrial production.

"That's why we try to solve problems connected with this sector and to create suitable conditions for the development of transport and automotive Industry in the Czech Republic," said Babis.

During Monday's discussion, the focus was on digitization, electro-mobility and smart mobility, investment in education, research and development.

Participants at the meeting agreed on the need for close cooperation in the field of smart mobility in order to bring new solutions to support the mobility of the population of the Czech Republic. They also agreed on the need to accelerate cooperation in expanding the necessary infrastructure for charging electric vehicles.