Debate worth having: should Germany’s autobahn introduce speed limits?

Spanning more than 8,000 miles (13,000 kilometers), the German autobahn is the only major highway network in the world that doesn’t have a speed limit. Denoted by a white circle with five black lines, drivers are free to drive as fast as they dare – or their cars allow. While most drivers abide by the German government’s recommendation of 80mph (130kph), some choose to ignore it.

Although speed limits do exist on some stretches of the autobahn, more than 70% of the network remains restricted. The debate for and against imposing a national speed limit on the autobahn has shaped German politics for decades—the freedom of choice and efficiency versus safety and the environment. 

We asked two experts to weigh in on their thoughts about a national speed limit on the German autobahn.

The case against German autobahn speed limits

Simon Schütz is the spokesperson and head of the press department at the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA).

“The debate about a speed limit is usually emotional and not very fact-based. Yet the issue needs to be dealt with constructively. Germany already has a speed limit on more than 96% of its roads. It applies to federal, state and district roads. On freeways, 30% of the network is permanently or temporarily speed-limited.

“Highways in Germany are the safest roads. They are even safer than those in some countries with a general speed limit. With increasing electrification, the climate effect of a speed limit is becoming less and less.

“Current surveys show that people are already driving more slowly, reflecting a growing sense of responsibility. This trend highlights how the debate over speed limits is not just a practical issue but also an ideological one.

"However, there is always room for improvement — sections of highways with an increased risk of accidents, high traffic volumes, roadworks or bad weather should undoubtedly be subject to a speed limit.

“The future of road safety lies in digitalization. By leveraging modern, digital instruments for implementation and expanding the existing equipment of freeway sections with corresponding variable message signs, we can pave the way for flexible speed limits. This, coupled with the use of communication between vehicles and infrastructure, promises a future of enhanced safety.

“Let's be clear: a general fixed speed limit on open stretches of road is not the solution. Instead, we should embrace the opportunities offered by digitalization. The situation-adapted speed regulation is the future, and your support for this approach is crucial.

“Digital instead of analog. Personal responsibility instead of bans. This is the only way to secure lasting social support, an essential prerequisite for successful transformations.”

The case for German autobahn speed limits

Stefan Gössling, PhD, is a Professor of the School of Business and Economics at Linnaeus University, Stockholm. He wrote a paper exploring the benefits of imposing a nationwide 130kph speed limit on Germany’s autobahns.

“It's a bit of a toxic debate. There are people who really want to drive fast on the autobahn, and no rational argument will change their opinion. Then we have a two-thirds majority of the population that wants a 130kph speed limit. Surveys on public opinion have consistently shown this for at least 10 years, and there is a trend for this share to increase. If you wanted a democratic vote, it's pretty obvious what should be done.

"Some of the benefits are difficult to quantify. People driving their cars very fast probably get a kick out of that. On the other hand, a lot more people feel fear because of dangerous traffic situations they are exposed to because of fast drivers. That is difficult to quantify. 

“A more objective way of looking at this is to frame it economically. You can look at time gains that you might have by driving faster. Compare them to greater fuel use, greater risk of accidents and so on. Our conclusion is that, for economic reasons, you would want a speed limit simply because the benefits outweigh the cost.

“Time gain is a very complex issue. A lot of speeding is not related to time gain. It's done because it's fun. The share of people driving fast for business reasons might be larger than the share of people driving fast for fun reasons, but we don't know. If time is such an important factor, then for many people traveling longer distances, it would make more sense to fly or take high-speed trains. So it’s not really clear whether the time gain argument should have the weight it has in the cost-benefit analysis.

“There are other things we can’t put a value on. Allowing higher speeds means that the whole system is characterized by greater aggressiveness. It makes it interesting for people to buy larger, more powerful cars. Larger cars in cities take up more parking space. They reduce visibility for other transport users. They impose congestion costs on others. So there's a whole series of interrelated implications that we have not looked at, which probably would mean that the benefits of a speed limit would be even greater economically if you put a price tag on it. It's not just a question of personal benefit. It's about how the whole transport system develops, and the implications that has. Do we want more aggression and less empathy in society?

“We also have a lot of phantom jams, when you have a traffic jam on the highway, but there isn’t an accident. It’s because someone is speeding, then brakes very suddenly, then the car after that car has to brake even more rapidly. And there’s a knock-on effect so you end with a traffic jam. It means very fast drivers actually reduce average speeds in certain situations. 

“We conclude that the economic benefit of a 130kph speed limit in Germany is at least €1 billion per year, even though this already includes very generous assumptions regarding the value of time gains.”

Intelligent speed assistance

Since July 2024, all newly registered vehicles in the EU must have Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) fitted. ISA helps drivers stay within the designated speed limit by warning or even helping control the vehicle’s speeds. ISA systems will be able to distinguish between restricted and derestricted sections of the autobahn. However, if a speed limit sign is missed by the car's onboard sensor (because of weather, for instance), it could have potential safety implications – especially with the high speeds involved on the autobahn.

Accuracy therefore is crucial to ensure driver safety. With the HERE ISA Map, car makers can ensure the precision of their systems by combining high-quality map data with inputs from vehicle camera sensors and infrastructure information so that the ISA system works even if the car's cameras are obscured. Currently, HERE ISA Map covers more than 180 countries.

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