Germany likely to be first country to allow hands-off-wheel driving

With models such as the Audi A8 now offering advanced self-driving systems, countries now need the legislation to allow it

By Rachel Burgess, Autocar UK

17 Jul 2017

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Some autobahns in Germany are set to be the first to allow autonomous driving.

Germany is set to become the first country in the world to legally allow level 3 autonomous driving in public cars - the ability to take your hands off the wheel while in motion.

According to Peter Fromm, Audi large car boss - who is responsible for the new A8 which offers numerous self-driving functions - the country is likely to permit such driving on certain roads in 2018.

"We expect that Germany will allow this next year for specific roads such as the A9 from Munich to Nuremberg," he said.

"We will only release the technology in countries who have given us permission to use it."

Fromm added that in a situation where the A8 crosses a country border, the car's system alerts the driver and switches the system off.

Once level 3 autonomy is in play in the A8, the responsibility for the car's actions will lie with Audi, not the user.

Earlier this year, the UK government started tentatively considering the legal ramifications of autonomous driving in its Vehicle Technology and Aviation Bill. However, there is no timeline for when it will become a reality in the UK.