'Gute Fahrt': The essential vocab you need for driving in Germany
1. Acronyms
Auto
(car) and
Fahrzeug
(vehicle) are clear enough, but Germans also like to throw in the term "PKW" from time to time for good measure. A short form of
Personenkraftwagen
, which distinguishes a passenger car from a lorry, or "LKW" (
Lastkraftwagen
).
People in Germany tend to take their acronyms seriously, so it's generally a good idea to try and pronounce the letters like a native -- "pe ka vay" and "el ka vay" respectively.
The same rule applies to makes of car. A beamer is an overhead projector in Germany, never a car and certainly not a sacred BMW.
BMW should always be pronounced "be em vay". Germans can be quite sniffy about this, so bear in mind that a VW is a "Fow Vay" in Germany if you want to avoid giving offence.
2. Road rage (Wut am Steuer)
Of course, there are times when you might want to give offence.
Instances of tailgating (drängeln), Sunday driving (Sonntagsfahren) and double parking (parken in der zweiten Reihe) are enough to make anyone's blood boil over.
By far the most common word shouted from car window to car window in Germany is
Arschloch
, which hopefully needs no translation.
If you make the mistake of shouting before looking, and the object of your anger turns out to be a lunatic spoiling for a fight, then you might want to
gib Gas
(step on it).
The second most common expression shouted by drivers in Germany (very often at newcomers to the country unfamiliar with the rule) is
rechts vor links
(right before left).
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You will hear this whenever you inadvertantly carry straight on at an intersection, rather than stopping to let the cars on your right turn into the road. The rule -- which seems to be an example of the triumph of regulation over reason -- is rendered void whenever you see a yellow diamond-shaped street sign at the intersection.
3. Trouble with the law
In common with many other countries around the world, the German authorities take particular delight in setting up speed cameras (
Blitzer
) wherever drivers least expect them -- on a bend, for example, or where the speed limit (
Geschwindigkeitsbegrenzung
) is inexplicably lowered for a few hundred metres.
If you do get
blitzed
, you'll probably receive a letter from the police a few days or weeks later, featuring a black and white mugshot of you behind the wheel of your car. If it's not your first offence, or you were driving wildly over the
Geschwindigkeitsbegrenzung
, you may get points on your licence.
READ ALSO:
Everything you need to carry in your car while driving in Germany
In German, this is known as
Punkte in Flensburg
(points in Flensburg) -- a reference to the location of Germany's Federal Motor Transport Authority or
Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt.
A parking ticket is known as a
Straffzettel
or
Knöllschen.
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4. Breaking down
People tend not to break down in the cars anymore (
habe eine Panne
) or suffer from punctures (
Platten
) all that often.
If you do have trouble with your car, there's a chance you may have bought a lemon, or a
Montagsauto
in German (a car that was built on a Monday, when the workers were still tired and hungover from their weekend's exertions.
Alternatively, you may just have run out of petrol: " I have run out of petrol."
Mir is das Benzin ausgegangen.
READ ALSO:
EXPLAINED: Why it's illegal to run out of fuel on the German Autobahn
Here's the list in full:
Auto - car
Fahrzeug - vehicle
PKW - passenger vehicle
LKW - lorry
He is tailgating me - Er drängelt mich
I can't stand Sunday drivers - Ich kann Sonntagsfahrer nicht ausstehen
Hurry up. I'm double parked - Bitte beeilen Sie sich. Ich habe in zweiter Reihe geparkt
Step on it! - Gib Gas!
Right before left - Rechts vor links
I was caught twice by speed cameras - Ich wurde zweimal von einem Blitzer erwischt
I have six points on my licence - Ich habe sechs Punkte in Flensburg
A parking ticket - Ein Knöllschen
I have broken down - Ich habe eine Panne.
A lemon - Ein Montagsauto
I've run out of petrol - Mir is das Benzin ausgegangen
READ ALSO:
German word of the day: Knöllchen
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Local Germany
a day ago
- Local Germany
'Gute Fahrt': The essential vocab you need for driving in Germany
1. Acronyms Auto (car) and Fahrzeug (vehicle) are clear enough, but Germans also like to throw in the term "PKW" from time to time for good measure. A short form of Personenkraftwagen , which distinguishes a passenger car from a lorry, or "LKW" ( Lastkraftwagen ). People in Germany tend to take their acronyms seriously, so it's generally a good idea to try and pronounce the letters like a native -- "pe ka vay" and "el ka vay" respectively. The same rule applies to makes of car. A beamer is an overhead projector in Germany, never a car and certainly not a sacred BMW. BMW should always be pronounced "be em vay". Germans can be quite sniffy about this, so bear in mind that a VW is a "Fow Vay" in Germany if you want to avoid giving offence. 2. Road rage (Wut am Steuer) Of course, there are times when you might want to give offence. Instances of tailgating (drängeln), Sunday driving (Sonntagsfahren) and double parking (parken in der zweiten Reihe) are enough to make anyone's blood boil over. By far the most common word shouted from car window to car window in Germany is Arschloch , which hopefully needs no translation. If you make the mistake of shouting before looking, and the object of your anger turns out to be a lunatic spoiling for a fight, then you might want to gib Gas (step on it). The second most common expression shouted by drivers in Germany (very often at newcomers to the country unfamiliar with the rule) is rechts vor links (right before left). Advertisement You will hear this whenever you inadvertantly carry straight on at an intersection, rather than stopping to let the cars on your right turn into the road. The rule -- which seems to be an example of the triumph of regulation over reason -- is rendered void whenever you see a yellow diamond-shaped street sign at the intersection. 3. Trouble with the law In common with many other countries around the world, the German authorities take particular delight in setting up speed cameras ( Blitzer ) wherever drivers least expect them -- on a bend, for example, or where the speed limit ( Geschwindigkeitsbegrenzung ) is inexplicably lowered for a few hundred metres. If you do get blitzed , you'll probably receive a letter from the police a few days or weeks later, featuring a black and white mugshot of you behind the wheel of your car. If it's not your first offence, or you were driving wildly over the Geschwindigkeitsbegrenzung , you may get points on your licence. READ ALSO: Everything you need to carry in your car while driving in Germany In German, this is known as Punkte in Flensburg (points in Flensburg) -- a reference to the location of Germany's Federal Motor Transport Authority or Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt. A parking ticket is known as a Straffzettel or Knöllschen. Advertisement 4. Breaking down People tend not to break down in the cars anymore ( habe eine Panne ) or suffer from punctures ( Platten ) all that often. If you do have trouble with your car, there's a chance you may have bought a lemon, or a Montagsauto in German (a car that was built on a Monday, when the workers were still tired and hungover from their weekend's exertions. Alternatively, you may just have run out of petrol: " I have run out of petrol." Mir is das Benzin ausgegangen. READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: Why it's illegal to run out of fuel on the German Autobahn Here's the list in full: Auto - car Fahrzeug - vehicle PKW - passenger vehicle LKW - lorry He is tailgating me - Er drängelt mich I can't stand Sunday drivers - Ich kann Sonntagsfahrer nicht ausstehen Hurry up. I'm double parked - Bitte beeilen Sie sich. Ich habe in zweiter Reihe geparkt Step on it! - Gib Gas! Right before left - Rechts vor links I was caught twice by speed cameras - Ich wurde zweimal von einem Blitzer erwischt I have six points on my licence - Ich habe sechs Punkte in Flensburg A parking ticket - Ein Knöllschen I have broken down - Ich habe eine Panne. A lemon - Ein Montagsauto I've run out of petrol - Mir is das Benzin ausgegangen READ ALSO: German word of the day: Knöllchen
DW
20-06-2025
- DW
Autonomous driving: VW wants to overtake Tesla – DW
VW will launch the autonomous ID. Buzz AD in 2026. With that, it's hoping to overtake Tesla in the robotaxi race. Other competitors are also getting involved in this billion-dollar market. In Germany, there are many people who cannot manage without a car, particularly in the countryside, where public transport networks can be patchy, nonexistent even. Transitioning to electric, or e-, vehicles will not solve the transportation problem on its own. Privately owned electric cars may not run on oil, but they still consume resources, take up space, require roads and parking areas. But much could be resolved if people were able to switch to using robot taxis. For years now, countries like the USA and China have been running pilot projects with self-driving cars and driverless vans. These vehicles are also being tested in Germany, but so far no approvals have been issued for so-called level 4 systems — completely autonomous cars with no driver at the wheel. The German Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) says that legally it is possible, in Germany and in the EU as a whole, but until now the general introduction of these vehicles still seems a long way off. Robotaxis from 2026, by VW But now VW has surged ahead with a driverless e-van: the ID. Buzz AD ("autonomous driving"), a level 4 vehicle that drives set routes. Europe's biggest car manufacturer presented the production version of the self-driving electric van in Hamburg on June 17. It is scheduled to go on the road in 2026. Initially, it will only be deployed in Hamburg and Los Angeles, but the intention is for it then to be rolled out more widely. "This certainly has not been set up as a small series production," says Christian Senger, a member of the board of management of VW Commercial Vehicles, who is responsible for its autonomous driving sector. The vans will be manufactured in very large numbers. The Hannover VW factory is set to produce more than 10,000 commercial vehicles. "We believe we can be the leading supplier in Europe," Senger says. VW already has a buyer, the Uber taxi service company. The two firms signed an agreement in April for cooperation in the US. According to Senger, Uber plans to purchase up to 10,000 VW e-vans over the next ten years. The ID Buzz AD has 13 cameras, five radars, and nine LiDARs (pictured), which use lasers to calculate distance Image: Lukas Barth/Reuters Overtaking Tesla VW has jumped ahead of Tesla with its ID. Buzz AD presentation. Earlier this month, Elon Musk "tentatively" announced June 22 — this Sunday — as the date for the launch of his own robotaxi, based on the Model Y SUV, but this is still unconfirmed. "We are being super paranoid about safety, so the date could shift," Musk said at the time on his social media platform, X. Tesla's initial plans are for just 10 to 20 Model Y SUVs to operate as public robotaxis in one area of Austin, Texas, the city where Tesla is headquartered. But, as usual, Musk is thinking big. In an interview with US broadcaster CBS, he announced that there would be some 1,000 Tesla robotaxis on the road within months, and hundreds of thousands by the end of 2026. Musk also announced in May that several US cities would be approved for autonomous driving for private Tesla owners before the end of the year. This promise is not new: Back in 2017, he promised that this function would be activated within two years. Waymo: Google robotaxis miles ahead Right now, Google affiliate Waymo is streets ahead when it comes to autonomous driving. Waymo's driverless robotaxis are already on the road in several US cities, making more than 250,000 paid journeys with passengers every week. The vehicles are mostly converted electric cars made by Jaguar. Waymo also announced in May that it planned to more than double the number of vehicles by the end of 2026. Tech giant Amazon is also in the running for the emerging market in autonomous driving. Amazon's robotaxi company Zoox plans to put cars on the road in Las Vegas and San Francisco without steering wheels or pedals, with space for up to four passengers. Competition from China China is also looking to solve its transport problems through autonomous driving. The Google rival Baidu runs a fleet of around 1,000 Apollo Go robotaxis, which completed more than 1.4 million journeys in the first quarter of this year. The Chinese company has a fleet of more than 300 robotaxis, and it wants to increase this to as many as 3,000 by the end of next year. WeRide, meanwhile, has around 400 vehicles. Autonomous vehicles are already on the road in China, like this Apollo Go self-driving taxi Image: Johannes Neudecker/dpa/picture alliance Goldman Sachs estimates that by 2030 there will be about half a million robotaxis in service in more than 10 Chinese cities. In China, the question is no longer whether autonomous driving is possible, but how companies will make commercial use of the sector's rapid development. Projections for the future are very promising. The investment bank puts the total sales potential of the Chinese robotaxi sector at around $54 million (€47 million) this year but expects that figure to increase exponentially by 2035, to around $47 billion. VW focused on fleets, transport associations VW's new e-van is not aimed at private customers. Instead it hopes to supply business customers, fleet operators and transport associations, providing a package to include total software solutions, a booking app, fleet management and maintenance. In Hamburg, for example, the company has established cooperation with the local transport association, HVV. A declaration of intent has also been agreed with the Berlin transport authority, the BVG. VW hopes to gain approval to operate driverless cars in Europe and the US by the end of 2026. This would mean they would no longer need a safety driver, currently a mandatory requirement. VW says it would be the first such approval for level 4 autonomous driving in Europe. If level 4 self-driving vehicles are approved, a safety driver would no longer be required to sit behind the wheel Image: Lukas Barth/Reuters There is a catch though. VW's Senger does not expect the top dog of Germany's beleaguered auto industry to make any money, at least at first. In the long term, though, he explains that autonomous driving is the lucrative field of the future, one that promises to be much more profitable than the traditional automotive industry. "This is our big chance to establish a future opportunity for the VW Group," he says. The exact price has not yet been announced but the ID. Buzz AD is unlikely to come cheap. According to Senger, buyers will have to pay a low six-figure sum (in euros) per vehicle. Public funding is needed That means it's going to be expensive for transport companies. The Association of German Transport Companies or VDV, is calling for a nationally coordinated strategy of long-term financing, and a market launch supported by public funding, to establish the country's supremacy in this market. An autonomous shuttle bus in Germany, part of a pilot project that local public transport operators want to see more of Image: Swen Pförtner/dpa/picture alliance The current government's coalition agreement declares: "Germany is to become the leading market for autonomous driving, developing and co-financing model regions with the federal states." Ingo Wortmann from the VDV comments that start-up funding of around €3 billion is needed to take this idea from pilot project to standrad operating procedure. This article was originally published in German.
DW
15-06-2025
- DW
VW in Brazil: A dark history – DW – 06/15/2025
Brazil is one of VW's most critical foreign bases. The company's past in the country is blighted by decades of human rights abuses and exploitation. US President Donald Trump is trying to turn back time by using import tariffs as a tool to force international companies to manufacture their products in the United States. Many companies produce abroad, usually to profit from lower labor costs in their respective host countries, or to have a closer relationship with customers. This creates jobs in foreign markets, which also boosts local sales. One such company is Volkswagen (VW). Two years ago, the German automaker celebrated its 70th anniversary as a "Brazilian" carmaker. The company began work in Brazil when it opened a warehouse in Sao Paulo on March 23, 1953. The Anchieta factory, VW's first production facility outside Germany, opened shortly thereafter. "Volkswagen do Brasil has completed 70 years of technological innovation and pioneering spirit," said VW Brazil boss Ciro Possobom at the 2023 celebration. "VW has modernized its Brazilian factories, developed new technologies and is a brand that is much closer to the people today." A year later, VW announced that it would expand its presence in Brazil by enlarging its four locations in the South American country. At the time, automobile analysts reported that VW planned to spend 7 million Brazilian reals (€1.1 billion, or $1.26 billion) in Brazil by 2026. Now that plan has been revised to 16 billion reals by 2028. VW: Making money with cars and cows in Brazil VW's investment in Brazil has largely paid off from the start. It not only invested in cars there, the company has also sought to make money on cows, specifically, beef. To facilitate the latter, Volkswagen created a new agricultural business known as Fazenda Volkswagen, or the Volkswagen Farm, located in Cristalino, around 2,200 kilometers (1,367 miles) from VW do Brasil headquarters in Sao Paulo. Christopher Kopper, a historian at Germany's Bielefeld University who has studied the history of VW do Brasil, says it was there, of all places, away from the bustle of the big city, that VW's image began to tarnish. "VW was approached about its treatment of workers at Fazenda Volkswagen back in the 1980s," Kopper told DW. In 2016, Volkswagen tasked Kopper with compiling a report on VW do Brasil's activities during Brazil's military dictatorship, which began when a military junta staged a coup in 1964 and went on to maintain an iron grip on the country for the next 21 years. VW is accused of having exploited and abused the employees of subcontrators working at its failed cattle farm, Fazenda Volkswagen Image: Wolfgang Weihs/picture alliance Only VW workers were taken care of on the Fazenda VW contracted Swiss agricultural economist Friedrich-Georg Brugger to set up the farm in 1974. Brugger counted on VW employees and other contracted workers to carry out his ambitious agrarian experiment. It was only years later, in a report broadcast by German public television, that it became clear just how ruthless Brugger was in pursing his plans. Kopper said VW workers were always taken care of. "They had their own houses, their own schools, a medical clinic. But that did not apply to workers employed by subcontractors. They worked under conditions akin to indentured servitude." The historian explained that the company always maintained that distinction. He said managers always "talked their way out of trouble by emphasizing that they were not responsible for the treatment of laborers employed by subcontractors." At the same time, they never tired of "pointing out that full-time workers directly employed at the Fazenda by VW lived very well by local standards." Volkswagen accused of using slave labor To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Dark secret: VW and Brazil's military dictatorship Work at the farm was conducted far away from prying eyes, and the project's ultimate failure did not make headlines either. "The Fazenda had no chance of making a profit from the outset," said Kopper. "The project was a wash." But what was even more shocking to Kopper than conditions at the Fazenda was what he learned about the company's attitude toward cooperation with Brazil's ruling military junta. "VW worked closely with the dictatorship's security apparatus," he said. "That applied to VW's main factory in Sao Paulo and other facilities." Kopper eventually realized that the conditions at the Fazenda were merely a detailed fragment from a much larger and far darker picture. Security at VW do Brasil factories, for instance, also worked closely with the junta. VW employees tolerated arrests and abuses by military police, even assisting them at times. "Correspondence with the board of directors in Wolfsburg [where VW is headquartered in Germany] documents full acceptance of the military dictatorship up until 1979," says Kopper of his findings. VW security personnel willingly helped Brazil's military dictators arrest and harrass employees Image: Andre Penner/AP Photo/picture alliance Shadows from the Nazi era Such behavior would be a scandal at any company, but it's even worse with Volkwagen when one considers the global automaker's start during the days of Adolf Hitler's dictatorship. Founded in Nazi Germany by Nazi organizations, Volkswagen systematically profited off of slave labor, exploiting and abusing thousands of forced laborers. Had those in positions of responsibility in Wolfsburg learned nothing? Of course, there were immediately suspicions that the company planned to continue its misdeeds from a decade earlier, just under another dictator on another continent. The scandal of what VW did in Brazil is made that much darker considering its roots in Nazi Germany Image: dpa/picture alliance VW managers with skeletons in their closets Kopper said it is really difficult to brush aside such accusations. "I would partially agree with that regarding management at VW do Brasil." He said the reasons for that have to do with the fact that many of VW's managers in the 1950s and 60s "had been army officers and Nazi party members" when they were younger. Kopper said that was not the case for Wolfgang Sauer, who ran VW's Brazilian subsidiary from 1971 to 1984, adding, "He was too young." According to the historian, Sauer was not bound to Germany's Nazi military tradition but rather to "Brazil's tradition of authoritarian paternalism: You can give workers social benefits, but that doesn't mean you have to accept independent works councils." The societal and juridical reappraisal of VW's actions during Brazil's military dictatorship is far from over. Numerous legal battles over damages and admissions of guilt await the global automaker. Only when that process has been completed can Wolfsburg close this chapter of its corporate history. This article was originally published in German and was translated by Jon Shelton.
