eetimes.com, Sept. 10, 2020 –
Germany is angling to leapfrog the world with legislation to permit self-driving vehicles on the road. If you believe that Europe, unlike the United States, has been late to the autonomous vehicle (AV) party, it's time to think again. Germany is currently drafting the proposed regulations.
Given that AV testing is currently very restrictive in Germany, most global automakers choose the United States or China as testbeds for this work. Being first with a rigorous regulatory framework covering AVs could entice automakers to move operations from the US or China to Germany.
Further, regulations, once put in place, would also give confidence to carmakers that AV development wouldn't be stuck in a state of science projects forever. Of course, the places where companies congregate sometimes become technology hubs; Germany certainly hopes that will happen with AVs.
Don't be surprised if this maneuver succeeds. Remember that the building of the autobahn launched the global era of the superhighway.