German lawmakers have approved a bill that will allow for autonomous vehicles to take to the streets. The law, which still must be passed in the Bundesrat, could come into effect as early as next year.
Lawmakers in the Bundestag have given the green light to a bill that will introduce new rules for self-driving vehicles. According to the German government, the bill will be the world's first legal framework for integrating autonomous vehicles and regular traffic, once it has been approved.
The bill aims to facilitate the regular use of autonomous vehicles on German roads and, according to the Ministry of Transport, has been written to be as flexible as possible. The new regulations will permit the use of vehicles that do not need a human driver on standby to control or monitor the vehicle, specifically “Level 4” autonomous vehicles.
"Individual permits, exceptions and requirements, such as the presence of a safety assurance driver who is always ready to intervene, would not be necessary," said the ministry in a statement.
According to the bill, autonomous vehicles will be driving in regular traffic from 2022. Although, experts have suggested that it will take a few years before driverless cars become significantly popular.
Public transport will also start to go driverless next year. Self-driving shuttle buses and public buses will be introduced on set routes and autonomous vehicles will also start to be seen on the Autobahn, transporting goods across the country. “Dual-mode” vehicles will also be permitted for automated valet services.
The bill has received praise from both politicians and the automotive industry. Germany’s Minister of Transport and Digital Infrastructure Andreas Scheuer has called for the bill to be approved by the Bundesrat as soon as possible. "Germany will be the first country worldwide to take autonomous vehicles from the research laboratories to the streets," he said. "We are now a major step closer to that goal."
Opposition lawmakers, specifically those from the Greens, have also voiced their support for the bill. However, while they see it as an important step in the battle against climate change, Cem Ozdemir (Alliance90 / The Greens) believes that a comprehensive strategy is needed for implementing the technology. "What's been completely missing until now is a political vision of how we can use this technology for road safety, for improving quality of life and for climate protection," he wrote.