Who authorises test drives?
The Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (KBA) issues a testing permit on application by the vehicle keeper (Halter). The vehicle must be registered and used exclusively for testing; AFGBV § 16 specifies further conditions.
Regulatory map › Germany
ROAT-JUR-DE · profil countries
Conditions for testing and operating automated vehicles, competent authorities and sources.
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Selected sources checked: · Working research overview · targeted review of provisions
Scope: Autonomous vehicle in an approved area
Compared with the original snapshot, the alternative of European type approval in the current § 1e(1), point 2, is clarified. Permanent supervision during testing remains distinct from ordinary autonomous operation. The relationship between the current StVG and AFGBV procedural requirements must be resolved for an individual application; this comparison does not treat it as settled.
The glossary explains each term’s tasks, legal status and sources.
The Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (KBA) issues a testing permit on application by the vehicle keeper (Halter). The vehicle must be registered and used exclusively for testing; AFGBV § 16 specifies further conditions.
§ 1e requires an eligible technical approval, an approved operating area and vehicle registration. Type approval under (EU) 2022/1426 is a technical alternative; a German Betriebserlaubnis is therefore not always an additional cumulative permit.
The area is approved by the competent authority under federal or Land law; for relevant federal roads, the Act identifies a particular infrastructure management company.
The Halter ensures safety, maintenance and performance of technical supervision tasks. Manufacturers have separate duties concerning risks, cybersecurity, documentation and training.
During ordinary autonomous operation, the technical supervisor evaluates and authorises specified alternative manoeuvres, deactivates the system and addresses the safe state. The Act does not require continuous monitoring of driving. Testing follows a different regime: permanent supervision by a driver or an on-site Technische Aufsicht.
Safe performance of driving and risk management must be demonstrated; the area must have appropriate suitability, infrastructure and staffing. For testing, AFGBV requires a development concept, a description of changes, supervision and the ability to deactivate and intervene on site.
The starting point for compensation arising from vehicle operation is Halter liability under § 7 StVG. The technical supervisor’s operational duties must not be confused with automatically assuming all liability for an accident.
Exceptions, other persons’ liability, insurance and recourse have not been fully examined.
An approved operating area remains a separate condition. An AFGBV testing permit generally lasts up to four years, with extension possible if conditions are met.
The practical application of older AFGBV §§ 8–9 references to Betriebserlaubnis alongside the new European alternative in § 1e StVG must be resolved, and authorisation for the specific transport service checked.
The same seven questions, with answers side by side.
Consolidated text retrieved on 7 September 2026; KBA permit and supervision during testing.
Open official source ↗§§ 7–9, 14 and 16 checked in the consolidated text on 7 September 2026. The links in §§ 8–9 to a domestic Betriebserlaubnis must be read alongside the newer § 1e StVG.
Open official source ↗Consolidated text retrieved on 7 September 2026. Paragraph 1, point 2 expressly includes type approval under (EU) 2022/1426 as an alternative.
Open official source ↗Full provision retrieved from the official portal on 7 September 2026.
Open official source ↗Consolidated § 7 retrieved on 7 September 2026; the basis of Halter liability, not a full audit of exceptions and recourse.
Open official source ↗Related ROAT records: ROAT-2026-0329 · ROAT-2026-0330 · ROAT-2026-0170
ROAT. Germany — country profile. ROAT Observatory. Working research overview; targeted source review on 7 September 2026. https://roat.sk/en/jurisdictions/germany/.
Add the access date. Web profiles may change; save the PDF as well to preserve the material used. When making a claim about the law, cite the legislation and provision identified in the answer.
The practical answers use the same evidence as the country comparison. Earlier research material with its own dates is retained below.
Jurisdictions › Germany
ROAT-JUR-DE
Germany most clearly converts a technical operational design domain into a public-law deployment object: lawful autonomous operation is bounded by an authority-approved defined operating area, with the keeper, the manufacturer and the technical supervision as separately allocated actors, and explicit lifecycle control over post-permit changes.
StVG §§ 1d–1g and AFGBV in force.
In Module 02 · snapshot 2026-09-07 review snapshot
| Regime | Deployment gate | Remote human role | Dominant deployment model | Legal status | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germany – current law | Vehicle operating permit + authority approval of defined operating area + registration before autonomous road use | Technische Aufsicht – may deactivate and release specified manoeuvres; not ordinary continuous remote driving | Operating-area + technical-supervision model | In force | High |
Germany – current law | |||||
Sources