In a move seen as a positive signal, the German Association of Driving Schools (BVF) has welcomed the goal of reducing the costs of obtaining a driving license, as outlined in the coalition agreement between the Union and the Social Democratic Party (SPD).
According to Kurt Bartels, the BVF’s vice chairman, the goal is “good” but the exact methods of implementation remain unclear. The driving schools’ association is concerned that the costs of the driving schools, such as rising energy costs and inflation, will not be taken into account in the reform.
The German Association of Technical Inspection (TÜV) also views the plan to make the driving license more affordable as “understandable” but notes that many of the costs are of a structural nature and cannot be quickly addressed. The TÜV warns that a reduction in the costs of the driving school’s training should not come at the expense of road safety and that a sustainable reduction in costs can only be achieved through better training, higher pass rates and more digital support.
The German Federal Ministry of Transport is currently working on a new draft of the driving school’s training, which includes proposals for the implementation of the training’s progression, content and digital learning in a synchronized form, according to a ministry spokesperson.
The CDU’s parliamentary group’s traffic policy spokesperson, Björn Simon, has not given a specific timeframe for the implementation of the goal, but suggests that the digitalization of the driving school’s training, such as a simplified application process and the use of simulators, could simplify and improve the training.
However, the BVF’s vice chairman, Kurt Bartels, does not see simulators as a viable option, as they cannot replace the real-life experience of driving and would be too expensive for driving schools, costing between 30,000 and 40,000 euros. Bartels also questions whether driving schools would need to maintain a manual transmission vehicle, as the majority of driving school rides and driving tests are now conducted in automatic transmission vehicles, which could also be simulated.
The average cost of obtaining a driving license in Germany, according to an ADAC survey, lies between 2,500 and 3,500 euros, with the costs of driving schools and tests increasing by 5.8% in 2024, according to the Federal Statistical Office.