The Autostrada A8 or Autostrada dei Laghi ('Lakes motorway') is an autostrada (Italian for 'motorway') 43.6 kilometres (27.1 mi) long in Italy located in the region of Lombardy connecting Milan to Varese (on the Lake of Varese) and connecting Milan to Gallarate and Sesto Calende on Lake Maggiore and on Lake Monate (now part of the Gallarate - Gattico connection, also part of the Autostrada dei Laghi).

[3] The term autostrada was used for the first time in an official document in 1922 in which the engineer Piero Puricelli presented the project for the Autostrada dei Laghi ('Lakes Motorway'); with that term, it indicated those roads characterized by a straight path (as far as possible), without obstacles, characterized by a high achievable speed, passable only by motor vehicles (Italian: autoveicoli, hence the name) aimed at the rapid transport of goods and people.

[4] Italy was the first country in the world to build motorways reserved for fast traffic and for motor vehicles only.

[2] Piero Puricelli, a civil engineer and entrepreneur, received the first authorization to build a public-utility fast road in 1921, and completed the construction (one lane in each direction) between 1924 and 1926.

Piero Puricelli decided to cover the expenses by introducing a toll.