Germany Set to Open Autobahn to Self-Driving Vehicles

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January 27th, 2015

Prototypes of driverless cars are set to get the go-ahead on a stretch of Germany’s busy A9 autobahn.

For years, the country’s car makers have been developing models with “autonomous driving” technology —passenger vehicles and trucks that can self-drive in cities and on highways without human interference.

According to an internal memo, Germany’s traffic ministry hopes to create a network in which traffic jams and pollution can be reduced, while road safety will be increased.

“We will start with a digitization of the test section,” a spokesman for the ministry told NBC News. “The goal is to introduce measuring points with which we will allow vehicle to vehicle and road to vehicle communication.”