Stuttgart - The southern German state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, home to Porsche and Mercedes-Benz, is slapping a speed limit on two stretches of autobahn highway where drivers can currently drive as fast as they like.
There is no blanket speed restriction on two thirds of Germany's autobahn highway network and so far the A81 between the Hegau interchange and Bad Duerrheim has not been regulated.
The stretch is popular with pedal-to-the-metal car-test drivers who use it to verify the high-end performance of new German models.
From May 2016, drivers on 32km of the A81 and a 48km stretch of the A96 between Wangen and Aitrach will be obliged to keep to a maximum speed limit of 120km/h, safety officials in Baden-Wuerttemberg said.
The limits will remain in place for four years as a test. During this time a survey will be carried out to see if the measure leads to a reduction in road accidents and in overall emissions.
Traffic officials said the autobahn sections had been chosen as being typical of the network.
They said the measure was not a prelude to generally putting a limit on cars using the autobahn, something which no postwar politician in this nation of car drivers has succeeded in implementing.
German Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt is opposed to the plan to introduce the “test” speed limits. There has been speculation that Berlin may veto the plans. Or the voters may. Baden-Wuerttemberg has a state general election scheduled in March.
DPA