Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder (CDU) anticipates that initial autonomous driving services will begin operating on German roads while he remains in office. When asked in an interview with “Politico” whether this would happen by 2026, Schnieder responded, “I hope I am still the Minister of Transport in half a year or just under a year.” While he did not name specific companies, the minister indicated that he “has the feeling that very quickly something is happening” in the sector, noting that several interested parties wish to enhance the German market with automated or autonomous vehicles.
According to Schnieder, the immediate challenge for Germany is transitioning from test operations to regular use. “We now have to upscale,” he stated, emphasizing the need to bring significantly more vehicles onto the roads in order to gather the necessary data and experiences for the ongoing development of these systems.
Looking at the longer horizon, Schnieder predicts a fundamental transformation in how people move. When questioned about the share of autonomous vehicles expected in 2050, he gave a confident response: “The biggest share.” Furthermore, he projected that by 2040, autonomous driving would have established itself significantly within public transportation systems.
