With the Road Traffic Remote Control Ordinance (StVFernlV), which came into force on December 1, 2025, Germany has for the first time created a legal framework for the operation of motor vehicles with remote-controlled driving functions. A detailed statement by the IKEM welcomes the introduction of the ordinance as an important step towards fully automated driving, but at the same time identifies the need for adjustments.
In a vehicle with a remote-controlled driving function, the person driving the vehicle is no longer in the vehicle, but controls it from a control center via radio connections. Remote-controlled driving promises advantages in the logistics sector as well as in the area of car sharing and local public transport – in particular more flexibility in vehicle deployment – and is intended to pave the way for fully automated driving as a bridging technology.
The StVFernLV regulates the approval of vehicles with remote-controlled driving functions, minimum technical requirements, safety standards and the qualifications of remote-controlled drivers. The opinion comes to the conclusion that although the StVFernLV creates safety and legal clarity for a technology that has not yet been approved, key potential remains untapped:
- There is a lack of type approvals for vehicle fleets with remote-controlled driving functions, which makes cost-intensive individual approvals necessary.
- There is no dovetailing with existing regulations for fully automated driving, although the combination of both technologies is crucial for market maturity.
- The regulation formulates high requirements for radio stability and latency, which make use in rural areas more difficult.
Germany can only maintain its leading role in the field of innovative mobility solutions if the regulation is developed further in a timely manner, explains Timon Plass, Scientific Officer and Head of Autonomous Driving at the IKEM:
“The StVFernLV is a milestone, but not the end of the road. In order to exploit the opportunities offered by remote control technology in combination with fully automated driving, these legal and technical hurdles must be removed quickly. Otherwise, there is a risk of competitive disadvantages compared to markets such as the USA and China, where fully automated vehicles are already in regular operation.
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This statement was produced as part of the “ahoi” project funded by the Federal Ministry of Transport, in which the IKEM is supporting the development of an on-demand service with fully automated and manually controlled vehicles for Hamburg’s public transport system.
