TECHNOLOGY
Revolutionary road: Germany takes first step
New legislation has taken the nation closer to the reality of autonomous cars, writes Michael Taylor
German carmakers finally have a framework to develop and produce self-driving cars after the country’s parliament approved autonomous driving laws last week. After years of pleading from vehicle manufacturers, which insisted their self-driving technology far outstripped German law, the country’s upper house of parliament finally defined how autonomous cars could use German roads. But the rules won’t please everyone because they effectively place all responsibility for autonomous car crashes on the manufacturer. The law, which was pushed by Chancellor Angela Merkel, insists a driver must not only be at the wheel of a car running in autonomous mode but they also need to be prepared to take back control of the car if necessary. Investment All of Germany’s peak premium carmakers, such as BMW, Audi, Porsche and Mercedes-Benz’s parent company Daimler, have invested heavily in autonomous technologies, which they have mainly tested in Nevada or California in the US, specific pieces of appro...
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