Is the Autobahn an outdated relic? A correspondent from CNN calls for a new look at the treasured cultural heritage of the Germans.
Munich/Berlin – For foreign visitors, the autobahn and its sections without speed limits are just as much a distinctively German asset as beer, pretzels or the Oktoberfest. Domestically, the point of view is more controversial: climate activists and car lovers repeatedly debate the usefulness of unlimited speeds on the freeways.
This is even an issue in the US: The CNN correspondent Paul Hockenos has now commented philosophized about the future of the Autobahn and explained its role in the climate crisis. His main thesis: Due to climate change, Germans would have to “reconsider their relationship with the autobahn” and reduce CO2 emissions from combustion engines.
Farewell to German autobahns – changes are necessary due to the climate crisis
Hockenos wonders why multi-lane motorways are needed and built at all if only climate-neutral new cars will be registered in Europe in 2035.
Nevertheless, Hockenos does not call for any investment to be withdrawn from the highways – “After all, electric cars also need good roads,” writes the CNN correspondent. But changes are needed to reduce emissions. A simple and effective solution is to introduce a general speed limit, say many climate protectors. The Federal Environment Agency (UBA) substantiated the demand with several studies.
Speed limit on motorways an effective measure – high CO2 savings to be expected
2020 the experts of the UBA investigated the effect of a speed limit of 120 km/h on motorways on CO2 emissions. As a result, Germany can save around 4.5 million tons of CO2 equivalents, it said. Last year Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) confirmed that he did not want to introduce a speed limit.
One Follow-up study by the UBA in January 2023 published, dealt with the traffic behavior of drivers when the speed limit was introduced. Due to the reduced speed on the motorways, road users either changed their route or used an alternative form of transport. “Due to the route choice and demand effect, the potential for CO2 savings increases to 5.8 million tons,” write the UBA experts in their report.
Road construction is now also a core issue in the traffic light coalition. And a topic for the regulars’ table: For example, Free Voter boss Hubert Aiwanger broke a lance for the car at his party’s political Ash Wednesday. Wissing recently followed up with a study. If the road is not expanded, it will have massive consequences for Germany, he said Reutlingen General Gazette. “That’s why we need to eliminate the bottlenecks everywhere in Germany through necessary expansion measures.”
Expansion of the Autobahn makes sense? This is the CNN correspondent’s vision of the future
Environmental activists and mobility researchers reject the desired infrastructure expansion in Wissing, for example in the form of the expansion of the A3 and A5 motorways near Cologne and Hanover tagesspiegel.de. The CNN correspondent joins the protest and demands that the money for the expansion of the motorways should be invested in bike lanes and the rails – just like the Dutch example.
So how does Hockenos envision the future of the Autobahn? “Fewer lanes, extra lanes for e-buses and e-trucks, more charging stations, a fixed speed limit and, in the distant future, all-electric highways,” writes the CNN correspondent. The US media are also keeping an eye on the consequences of German car policy: How politico.com reports, the German government will not reach its goal of having 15 million electric cars on the roads by 2030. (Patryk Kubocz)
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