Germany to push for autonomous vehicles in public transport, freight

The German government approved on Wednesday a strategy paper encouraging the use of autonomous vehicles for public transportation and goods delivery.

The aim is to create the world's largest single-operating area for autonomous vehicles in Germany by 2028.

While Germany is already a pioneer in the field of autonomous vehicles from a legal standpoint after laws passed in 2017, 2021 and 2022, the country lags behind some parts of the world in terms of operation.

Whereas US cities such as San Francisco and Phoenix, as well as some in China, have well-established robo-taxi services, Germany is limited to individual pilot projects, without a scalable business model.

Transport Minister Volker Wissing said autonomous driving should be deployed across Germany in the future.

"We are working towards this and are placing a particular focus on local public transport and freight transport," said Wissing.

Autonomous driving is a key technology for innovative, clean, barrier-free and affordable mobility, he argued.

According to the paper, financing options for autonomous mobility in public transport are to be identified over the course of the coming year.

A seamless transition from trial to regular operation should then take place by 2026.

The German government hopes that this will improve road safety and strengthen public transport.

Autonomous driving would also help to overcome the shortage of drivers and increase efficiency in freight transport.

The challenges cited in the paper include high costs, unresolved liability issues and a possible lack of public acceptance.