The future is becoming less car-centric.
But in Germany, the autobahn runs a whopping 13,000 kilometers.
Lets take a look.
But you cant take a nap.
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The technology is currently exclusive to Germany.
But Mercedes aims to get regulatory approval in California and Nevada later this year.
Since 2019, Germany hastrialed power linesfor electric trucks on three patches of the autobahn.
This enables selecttrucks to recharge their batterieswhile driving at full speed.
Similar to tram or train tracks, the trucks drive on the highway using overhead electricity from a pantograph.
They switch to battery power for the final miles.
This slashes energy consumption by half and substantially reduces local air pollution.
The vehicle is size-efficient and has a range of around 180 kilometers on a single charge.
The vehicle is built to withstand a range of driving and parking conditions.
This increases stability for driving fast, helping with better weight distribution, such as when turning corners.
The foldable chassis also creates width adjustment meaning four City Transformers can park in one standard parking space.
The company is from Israel, andRoding Mobilityin Germany built the prototypes.
City Transformer was awarded Top Tech Startup at SHIFT Mobility at IFA, Berlin, last week.
An actual industry use for 5G
Imagine driving on the autobahn.
Your GPS can tell you when to change lanes or adjust speed.
This results in a smoother journey with reduced traffic jams and accidents.
In Germany, a consortium calledProvidentia ++is doing just this.
Providentia focuses on a 3.5km A9 Digital Motorway Testbed, a dedicated space close to the autobahn.
Snsors collect real-time data.
This is fed into a digital twin.
And theres precedent during the 1973 oil crisis, Germany imposed atemporary speed limiton the autobahn.
But an agreement of no general speed limits on autobahns was decided upon by the three-party coalition this year.
The autobahn is a critical testbed for advancing tech mobility.
But it also represents a country unwilling to sacrifice the right to drive fast for the greater good.
Story byCate Lawrence
Cate Lawrence is an Australian tech journo living in Berlin.
