With the Road Traffic Remote Control Regulation (StVFernLV), German regulators have created a legal framework for vehicles with remote control driving functions for the first time. This new technology is seen as a promising bridge technology for advancing fully automated driving in Germany and Europe. The following article examines the key provisions of the StVFernLV. It becomes clear that, particularly with regard to the goal of bridge technology, the regulator has not succeeded in combining and regulating fully automated and remote-controlled driving functions. This means that valuable time is being lost in keeping pace with the global advance of road traffic automation, which is set to play an important role in the mobility transition.
This article is based on the statement ‘Plass/Marenbach/Riep, Statement on the Road Traffic Remote Control Regulation, December 2025’, which was prepared as part of the ahoi project funded by the Federal Ministry of Transport.
In the ahoi project, IKEM is supporting the development of an on-demand service with autonomous and manually controlled vehicles for Hamburg’s public transport system.
