Transport system · Digital layer
Digital mobility
Signals, couplings, traffic-control gantries and vehicles are increasingly run by software and data. This sheet explains the main digital systems in German transport, what each one does, and which of them Federal Minister Steffen Bilger has acted on since July 2026.
- Subject
- Intelligent transport systems, rail digitalisation, automation
- Ministry remit
- Digitalisation of mobility (BMV); networks with BMDS since May 2025
- Status
- Funding calls and roll-outs announced, Aug–Oct 2026
- Sources
- BMV press releases 077, 080, 082, 089–091; Bundestag
Section A — definitions
What "digital mobility" means here
The term covers several different things: technology built into vehicles, technology built into infrastructure, and the data that connects the two. Intelligent transport systems (ITS) is the umbrella term used in EU law for information and communication technology applied to transport.
On the roads this means traffic-control systems with variable speed limits and lane signals, traffic information services, the electronic truck toll, and the driver-assistance and automated-driving functions in vehicles. On the railways it means digital train control and signalling, and digital couplings on freight wagons. On the waterways and in the air it includes water-level information systems, air-traffic management and, more recently, systems to detect drones near airports.
One institutional change matters for this sheet. With the Chancellor's organisational decree of 6 May 2025, a new Federal Ministry for Digital Affairs and State Modernisation (BMDS) was created. The previous Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport became the Federal Ministry for Transport (BMV) and lost the digital portfolio. Broadband and mobile networks are therefore no longer the transport minister's business. Digitalisation of transport, such as train control, automated driving and vehicle approval, remains with the BMV. Within the ministry, the rail directorate houses an ERTMS and digitalisation coordination unit, and the road-traffic directorate handles autonomous driving.
Bilger has worked on this field before. As Parliamentary State Secretary from 2018 he named digitalisation among his responsibilities, along with roads, cars, alternative drives and aviation, and his logistics coordinator role had digitalisation at its centre (see logistics). The broader policy argument about digitalisation is on digitalisation.
System files
Five systems, one ministry
Choose a system to see what it is and what is documented about Bilger's part in it. All five appear in ministry announcements from his first ten weeks in office.
European Rail Traffic Management System
ERTMS is the EU's common standard for train control. Its core component, the European Train Control System (ETCS), sends movement authority and speed information directly to the driver's cab instead of relying on lineside signals. This allows trains to run more closely spaced and makes cross-border operation easier, but every line and every locomotive has to be converted.
The infrastructure special fund's 2026 economic plan includes €2.5 billion for ERTMS. A federal funding guideline for fitting existing trains with ERTMS equipment, worth about €1.7 billion up to 2030, was published on 24 July 2026 under Bilger's predecessor. According to trade press, DB InfraGO plans to convert about a dozen lines to ETCS Level 2 "without signals" by the end of 2031.
On 13 August 2026 the steering committee of the new ERTMS coordination office met for the first time. Its members come from the federal and state governments, infrastructure managers and railway companies. Florian Böhm was unanimously appointed head of the office, which is to coordinate the roll-out and the funding of on-board equipment. The committee is to meet quarterly (press release 077/2026).
Digital automatic coupling (DAK)
Most European freight wagons are still coupled by hand with screw couplings and separate brake hoses. Digital automatic coupling joins wagons mechanically, pneumatically and electrically in one step and carries power and data along the train. This makes it possible to run automated brake tests and to monitor the train digitally, and it reduces heavy and dangerous manual work in marshalling yards.
On 4 September 2026 the ministry launched a programme of about €36 million for "pioneer trains" with DAK, administered by BALM. It has three funding lines: equipping and testing trains in real operation, further development, and strategic studies. It builds on the completed European DAC4 research project. Bilger: Die Digitale Automatische Kupplung stellt eine bedeutende Modernisierung für den Schienengüterverkehr dar.
("Digital automatic coupling represents a significant modernisation for rail freight", translation.)
Automated and autonomous driving
Automated vehicles take over some or all driving tasks under defined conditions. Germany has created a legal framework allowing driverless vehicles to operate in defined areas. In practice, the first uses are shuttles and on-demand buses in public transport and fixed routes in logistics. The German Centre for Future Mobility (DZM) researches these systems at several sites.
On 31 August 2026 the ministry opened a €14 million call for autonomous vehicles in public transport and freight. It covers buying, retrofitting or leasing vehicles for pilot and regular operation, with applications due by 15 October 2026. On 1 October 2026 Parliamentary State Secretary Ulrich Lange announced Munich as the DZM's fifth site and the start of a project called RISE, which aims to move automated public-transport systems into regular operation. Bilger: Autonomes Fahren bietet die Chance, Mobilität neu zu denken.
("Autonomous driving offers the chance to rethink mobility", translation.)
Driver-assistance systems
Assistance systems support a human driver who stays responsible at all times. That is different from automated driving, where the system itself drives under defined conditions. New systems are approved at European level. A national authority, such as the Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (KBA) in Germany or the RDW in the Netherlands, carries out the type approval, and other member states vote on EU-wide recognition.
On 6 October 2026 the ministry published a note on the approval of Tesla's assistance system, sold as "FSD (Supervised)", which the company proposes to rename "Assisted Driving". The procedure is led by the Dutch approval authority. Germany supports timely EU-wide approval on two conditions. The system may exceed speed limits only slightly, by at most 10%. And the driver stays „zu 100 Prozent verantwortlich für die sichere Fahrzeugführung“ (100% responsible for driving the vehicle safely). The ministry says Germany will „konstruktiv begleiten“ (constructively support) the European procedure. There is no approval yet.
Drone detection at airports
Unauthorised drones near runways can halt air traffic. Detection systems combine sensors to spot and track drones in the approach and departure areas. In Germany the air navigation service DFS operates the detection. Responding to a threat, including active countermeasures, is the job of the Federal Police, and the two share a real-time picture.
On 30 September 2026 DFS put a detection system into operation at Berlin Brandenburg Airport (press release 089). On 5 October the ministry reported that the first expansion stage at the eight largest airports was nearly complete, with Stuttgart, Hamburg and Leipzig/Halle following that week. The remaining DFS-controlled airports are to follow by 31 January 2027. Bilger: Wenn eine Drohne in der Nähe eines Flughafens auftaucht, müssen wir das frühzeitig wissen.
("If a drone appears near an airport, we need to know early", translation.)
Documented position
Telematics instead of a fixed limit
Bilger's clearest statement about digital road technology so far came in the speed-limit debate.
Variable speed limits
Documented position
In the Bild interview of 9 August 2026 Bilger rejected a general speed limit and said: Ich halte es für sinnvoller, Telematiklösungen auszuweiten
("I think it makes more sense to expand telematics solutions", translation). He described speeds being adjusted je nach Wetterbedingungen, je nach Verkehrsverhältnissen
("depending on weather conditions, depending on traffic", translation).
Policy context
Traffic-control systems on the Autobahn (Verkehrsbeeinflussungsanlagen) use sensors to measure traffic and weather and show variable limits and warnings on overhead gantries. They cover only part of the network. No concrete expansion programme or budget line linked to the statement was found in the sources. Supporters of a general limit, including the Greens, argue that only a fixed limit delivers predictable safety and emissions benefits (see road infrastructure).
Section B — assessment
Factual limits
The digital systems on this page are at very different stages. Drone detection at the largest airports is nearly in place. Driver-assistance approval is a live European procedure. ERTMS and DAK are long-term conversion programmes, and on the railways their success will be measured in years and in equipped kilometres. Automated public transport is still largely in the pilot stage. Ministry announcements describe aims and funding, not proven benefits, and they are reported here in that sense.
Bilger's own contribution so far is to set up structures, such as the ERTMS steering committee, open funding calls, and set out positions such as preferring telematics to a speed limit and supporting EU approval of assistance systems with safety conditions. The direction ties in with his long-standing "technology openness" line, described on future mobility. Rail digitalisation is covered in more depth on rail infrastructure, and safety aspects on transport safety.
Sources
- Gesetze im Internet — Organisationserlass des Bundeskanzlers (6 May 2025)
- gefahrgut.de — BMV replaces BMDV
- BMV — Organisation chart (2 Oct 2026)
- eurotransport / trans aktuell — Interview with Steffen Bilger (7 Sep 2018)
- Deutscher Bundestag, hib — Special fund economic plan 2026
- BMV — Press release 068/2026: Förderrichtlinie ERTMS-Fahrzeugausrüstung (24 Jul 2026)
- Tagesspiegel Background — DB InfraGO stellt zwölf Strecken auf Zugbetrieb ohne Signale um
- BMV — Press release 077/2026: ERTMS coordination office (14 Aug 2026)
- BMV — Press release 082/2026: DAK pioneer trains (4 Sep 2026)
- BMV — Press release 080/2026: €14 million for autonomous driving (31 Aug 2026)
- BMV — Press release 090/2026: Project RISE, Munich fifth DZM site (1 Oct 2026)
- BMV — Current status of the approval of a Tesla assistance system (6 Oct 2026)
- BMV — Press release 089/2026: drone detection at BER (30 Sep 2026)
- BMV — Press release 091/2026: drone detection at all eight major airports (5 Oct 2026)
- BMV — Interview with Bild (9 Aug 2026)