Government formation in Germany
How serious is Friedrich Merz about Autonomous Driving?
Moia is currently testing autonomous shuttles in Hamburg.
Moia/SPD/CDU/CSU
Autonomous Driving is set to soon commence regular operations in Germany - this is promised by the coalition agreement of CDU and SPD. But how? An analysis of the opportunities, legal hurdles, and the status quo.
Yesterday, the upcoming ministers of the government under Chancellor Friedrich Merz were presented – the new government of the Federal Republic is thus taking shape. The conservative CDU and the social democratic SPD want to make Germany the lead market for autonomous driving. The promise is in the coalition agreement – and is being heard in the industry. But what is realistic? How sustainable is the legal framework? And how credible is the political will – especially since the government is not yet in place?
Autonomous Driving as an industrial policy vision
“We are creating the conditions for autonomous driving to enter regular operation.” - “We are making Germany the lead market for autonomous driving.” This is stated in the coalition agreement of the designated black-red federal government. What is formulated on pages eight and 28 reads like an industrial policy promise for the future – and it is intended to make clear: This time it is not just about pilot projects, but about a leap into the mainstream. But the situation is not as politically certain as the formulations sound. The formation of the government is not yet complete, the SPD members still have to approve the agreement. And even though CDU and SPD have agreed on compromises: What will become reality and how quickly is open.
The reactions of the industry to the coalition agreement are positive, sometimes euphoric. Moia CEO Sascha Meyer sees it as the “foundation for autonomous driving that serves the common good,” and demands: “Think big instead of small-scale pilot projects.” For him, it is clear: “Autonomous mobility 'Made in Germany'” could be a key for sustainable cities and a future-proof automotive location.
Christian Senger, responsible for autonomous driving at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, praises the “networked strategy of economic and transport policy” – and sees the announced model regions as an opportunity for the “breakthrough of fully autonomous technologies on German roads.” But how reliable is this political promise? And how concrete is the path to regular operation actually outlined?
Old plans for a new government?
At the beginning of December 2024 – shortly before the end of the term of the traffic light coalition – the then federal cabinet under Transport Minister Volker Wissing adopted a national strategy for autonomous driving. The ambitious phased plan was intended to enable the transition from trial to regular operation from 2026 and make Germany the international lead market by 2030. The focus was clearly on public transport and freight transport – that is, on applications with social value and scaling potential.
Whether and how the now designated black-red federal government will adopt or adapt this phased plan is currently open. Although the new coalition agreement also emphasises the goal of enabling regular operation, specific timelines or measures are still lacking. The strategy from December is therefore considered a political legacy of the old federal government, which is now waiting for its implementation.
Technology in the market – but with many limitations
A look at practice shows: First systems according to Level 3 are available in Germany – but only for a few vehicles and in very narrow application cases: Mercedes-Benz offers a certified Level 3 system in series operation. The Drive Pilot is available in the EQS and in the S-Class – but only in traffic jams on certain motorways and up to 60 km/h. The extension to 95 km/h is expected to be available in Germany in the spring. BMW followed in 2024 with the Personal Pilot L3 in the new 7 Series – with a comparable range of functions. Recently, Stellantis also announced that it had developed its own system ready for the market in the near future. However, details on the rollout are still missing.
In addition to private vehicles, there are already a number of pilot projects in public spaces, especially with Level 4 technology: Moia operates an autonomous ride-pooling service in Hamburg together with Volkswagen and the city on a test basis. ZF is testing autonomous shuttles in Friedrichshafen, Aachen and other cities, mostly in defined operational areas such as exhibition grounds, university campuses or factory premises. Further projects are also underway in Berlin, Darmstadt and the Rhine-Main area, often funded by the federal and state governments.
The legal framework for such systems – as shown by both the approvals and the pilot projects – is fundamentally in place. However, the conditions remain strict: The use is mostly tied to fixed routes, low speeds, and narrow operational areas. So far, there can be no talk of a nationwide regular operation in everyday life.
“The major highways in terms of a legal framework have been built,” says Benjamin von Bodungen, an expert in transport and logistics law at Bird & Bird LLP, to automotiveIT. This refers to:
- The Eighth Act to Amend the Road Traffic Act with regulations on highly and fully automated driving (2017, §§ 1a - 1c StVG)
- The Act on Autonomous Driving (2021, §§1d - 1l StVG)
- The supplementary regulation for the approval and operation of motor vehicles with autonomous driving function in defined operational areas (AFGBV) from the year 2022.
These legal foundations already enable Level 4 operation in public spaces today – but only with technical supervision, in defined operational areas, and based on approvals for individual vehicles or small series.
However, von Bodungen views the unclear integration with European law critically: The EU regulation on automated driving (ADS regulation) came later than the German law – but partially contradicts it. Example: In Germany, technical supervision is mandatory, but not necessarily at the EU level. “From a purely legal perspective, this could lead to conflicts,” says von Bodungen. “In certain areas, the legislator may need to make adjustments – otherwise there is a risk that national regulations are contrary to European law.”
Model regions for autonomous driving
A central element in the coalition agreement is the announcement of "model regions" for autonomous driving. With this, the government aims to create real application areas – beyond test fields and press events. In fact, such regions could help to test and establish urban use cases like autonomous shuttle services (such as Moia in Hamburg) or solutions for rural areas (on-demand services for commuters) in the long term.
But skepticism remains warranted here as well: In the last legislative period, there were pilot projects, funding announcements, and round tables – the broad breakthrough did not occur. Whether this changes this time depends significantly on whether the political promise is accompanied by long-term funding, regulatory clarity, and pragmatic implementation.
Speed, scaling, and political seriousness are missing
The recent approvals of automation products from Mercedes and BMW show that Germany can fundamentally keep up with autonomous driving. The legal framework is – with limitations - in place. The technology is developing. But there is a lack of speed and scaling. And: The announced political support still needs to prove itself. Von Bodungen sums it up: “We need to get into doing.” The legal framework offers many possibilities - but it requires more courage to act pragmatically, more willingness to standardise, and more trust in the new technology. “We tend to secure every scenario down to the last detail – while other countries just do it.”
Germany has a lot of potential in autonomous driving – and an ambitious promise in the coalition agreement. But the real work begins now: Only when the SPD base agrees can the government get started. Only when model regions are not only planned but implemented will the political goal become tangible. And only when scalable business models develop from prototypes will the vision become reality. Until then, it remains open whether Germany will really become the lead market for autonomous driving – or whether it will remain with well-intentioned announcements.
This article was first published at automotiveit.eu
