What’s new on Austria’s roads
Hands-free driving? Turn right on red? What may sound crazy for a lot of drivers on the face of it may soon become reality. We give you a roundup of what's happening on Austria’s roads / what’s new on Austria’s roads.
Electric cars to be given acoustic warning signals: Electric cars are too quiet, which means that the risk of an accident is much higher compared to classic combustion engines, say associations for the blind. To avoid this risk, electric cars will have to be fitted with acoustic warning signals from mid-2019. There will be different noises for accelerating and braking. However, there are no plans to retrofit electric cars that are already on the roads.
Turn right on red: It's starting in Linz – a one-year pilot phase that allows drivers to turn right at three crossroads in Linz when the traffic light is red will begin on 1 April 2019. Similar rulings in countries such as France, Canada, Australia and the USA show that turning right at red not only works, it also helps traffic flow more smoothly.
Additional trial sections for a 140 km/h speed limit: Additional trial sections could be introduced one year after tests had begun in 2019 for a 140 km/h speed limit on motorways. These trial sections could be extended to not only additional 3-lane carriageways but also 2-lane sections, provided traffic safety can still be guaranteed.
Driving in the emergency corridor an endorsement offence: Did you know that driving in an emergency corridor will not only cost you dearly but will also become an endorsement offence in the course of 2019? Emergency corridors have to be kept free on Austrian motorways and roads so that rescue and emergency vehicle can reach the scene of the accident without hindrance. Ignoring this regulation could lead to a fine of up to EUR 2,180.00.
Relaxations for driver assistance systems: Relaxations are being planned for cars with driver assistance systems. These will affect two areas: parking and motorway pilot systems. Automatic parking with a parking assistant and hands-free driving on motorways and highways with so-called motorway pilot systems will be allowed in future. The precondition is that the driver can still intervene in an emergency.
New electric cars and models: Friends of electric cars have something to look forward to. A number of new cars with ranges of 300 and 600 kilometres will be launched this year, for example the Kia Niro EV (range of 485 km), the Audi e-tron (range of 400 km) or the VW Neo, the group’s first fully electric car with a range of 400 km. Click here to find out which models will be available.
Incidentally: As a special highlight, electric cars may be exempted from the IG-L (Act on Ambient Air Quality) speed restrictions on motorways or highways in future. What’s more, drivers of electric cars may also be allowed to park for free or use bus lanes in larger towns and cities.
This information is supplied without liability.