Audi RS7 (bettorodrigues/Bigstock.com)

As the largest manufacturer of cars in Europe – and the fourth most productive in the world – Germany has a vested interest in being at the forefront of driverless car technology.

The nation's transport minister, Alexander Dobrindt, will soon be outlining legal guidelines for the use of driverless vehicles on the country's motorways – or autobahns.

Dobrindt expects driverless cars to be a common sight in Germany over the next few years, but stated that rules must be put in place to govern their use.

He intends to draw up a legal framework with the assistance of figures from the realms of automotive research, industry and politics then produce a list of key points before the Frankfurt car fair takes place.

At present driverless cars cannot be used on German roads because the country is a signatory of the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, which requires a human to be in control of every road vehicle. 72 other nations have signed the convention.

Driverless car technology has raised a number of key questions including:

  • Who would be responsible if an accident occurs due to a failure of a car's computer technology?

  • How would insurance work for driverless cars?

  • How would driverless car licences be regulated?

Breakdown repair insurance firms will also be keen to establish how their business models will work in relation to driverless cars.

With annual car production approaching six million, it's little wonder that Germany is keen to support driverless car technology.

Alexander Dobrindt has already earmarked a section of the A9 autobahn in Bavaria for driverless car testing.

Germany's car makers are already developing driverless vehicles. The Mercedes Benz Future Truck 2025 is a driverless lorry with a top speed of (50mph), while the 560bhp Audi RS7 has demonstrated impressive automated performance, having recently hit 150mph in a test run on the F1 Hockenheim circuit.

It is thought that Germany's car manufacturers will have a market-ready car by 2020, and the authorities will want to ensure both the road network and law are ready for the change.

Google's advanced driverless car technology is a worry for industry figures in Germany; they want to ensure the country remains ahead of the curve in what is likely to be a very lucrative market globally and locally.

By Craig Hindmarsh