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Map replaces rags - one of several changes for drivers in 2022
Photo: Manngold / IMAGO
A new catalog of fines has been in effect in Germany since November, which sanctioned, among other things, wrong parking, driving too fast or blocking an emergency exit.
A number of other changes will follow in the new year for drivers.
DER SPIEGEL explains what to expect.
Renew your driving license
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Photo: Fleig / Eibner-Pressefoto / IMAGO
Around 43 million Germans will have to have their driver's license renewed by 2033. If you were born between 1953 and 1959 and still have an old paper license, you should hurry: the old "rag" must be exchanged by January 19, 2022. Anyone who is checked after this date with a driver's license that is too old pays a warning fee of ten euros. Issuing a new, EU-compliant driver's license costs 25 euros. It is then valid for 15 years.
The basis of the exchange campaign is a new EU directive that provides for forgery-proof and standardized documents in credit card format.
Around 15 million paper driving licenses that were acquired by December 31, 1998, and around 28 million driver's licenses by credit card that were issued by January 18, 2013, have to be renewed.
A law regulates who must have the new driver's license by when.
You can find the overview here.
Mask compulsory in the first-aid kit
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Photo: Simon Kadula / iStockphoto / Getty Images
The first-aid kit in the car must in future contain two mouth and nose covers.
This provides for a change in the road traffic regulations, which in all likelihood will come into force in 2022.
The exact timing is still unclear, as is the amount of the fine in the event that the masks are missing.
So far, missing items in the first-aid kit have been punished with a fine of five euros.
New funding guidelines for plug-in hybrids
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Photo: Rene Johnston / Toronto Star / Getty Images
The fact that the purchase of plug-in hybrids (PiH) is subsidized by the state has been causing discussions for some time.
Now the funding guidelines for PiH are changing.
With up to 6,750 euros, only part-time electricians who can drive at least 60 kilometers purely electrically are now subsidized.
So far, the minimum range for eligible plug-in hybrids has been 40 kilometers.
Important: If the plug-in emits less than 50 grams of CO₂ per kilometer, it is also subsidized, even if it cannot cover 60 kilometers purely electrically.
The coalition agreement of the traffic light parties SPD, Greens and FDP provides for the minimum electric range to be increased again from August 1, 2023, to at least 80 kilometers.
The premium should expire completely by 2025 at the latest.
CO₂ price is rising - and with it the gasoline and diesel costs?
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Photo: Gottfried Czepluch / IMAGO
The price that companies have to pay for one tonne of CO₂ generated will rise in 2022 from 25 to 30 euros per tonne of carbon dioxide.
Corporations affected by this, for example from the mineral oil industry, usually pass this on to consumers.
It thus affects the fuel prices at the petrol station.
The Automobile Club Europa ACE expects a surcharge of 1.6 cents per liter of diesel and 1.4 cents per liter of petrol.
But there is still more to come, at least for diesel drivers.
Because the new ruling parties wrote in the coalition agreement that the diesel tax rate should, under certain circumstances, be brought into line with that of gasoline.
In this case, a liter of diesel would be 18 cents more expensive in one fell swoop.
However, the new Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) has already said that he will ensure "that higher energy taxes on diesel fuels are offset by lower vehicle taxes."
E-car drivers can earn money with saved CO₂
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Photo: Thomas Koehler / Photothek / Getty Images
From January 1, 2022, private owners of electric cars can get a further subsidy in addition to the purchase bonus: With a kind of certificate trading, in which the emissions saved by their own electric car are sold. For this purpose, a general greenhouse gas reduction quota (GHG quota) has been set for e-cars, which the owner can now sell.
Petroleum companies, for example, are interested in buying them.
Until now, they had to pay fines if they exceeded certain CO₂ limit values.
As of January, they can instead support e-car drivers - by buying up their GHG quotas.
However, because oil companies cannot negotiate individually with many thousands of e-car owners, there are intermediary portals such as Enercity, Green Income, Maingau Energie, eQuota, Fairenergy or Emobia that do this.
E-car owners can thus receive several hundred euros per year for their GHG quota.
The intermediary companies in turn then sell the saved CO₂ emissions in a bundle to interested groups.
Assistance systems are becoming mandatory
Newly approved car models in the EU must be factory-fitted with at least nine assistance systems from July 6, 2022. These systems include an intelligent speed assistant that shows the driver that the current maximum speed is exceeded and warns him. An emergency braking assistant and an emergency lane departure warning are also mandatory.
In addition, similar to an airplane, an accident data memory - a so-called black box - is installed in the vehicle.
In addition, there is the warning system for passengers who are not wearing seat belts, a reversing assistant, a drowsiness warning system, an adaptive signal light function that automatically warns those driving behind in the event of emergency braking, and a standardized interface to which an alcohol immobilizer can be connected.
For vehicles with a total weight of more than 3.5 tonnes - i.e. mainly vans and trucks - a turning assistant will also be mandatory from 2022.
More security when buying a used car
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Photo: Müller-Stauffenberg / IMAGO
The German sales law will also be reformed on January 1, 2022.
This brings changes with it, from which used car buyers in particular benefit.
You get more security.
The period of reversal of the burden of proof has now been extended to one year.
This means that the dealer has to pay for defects for a year from the time the car was bought.
So far, the deadline has been six months.
What is the new government planning?
After twelve years of CSU reign in the Federal Ministry of Transport, Germany's transport policy will in future be determined by FDP politician Volker Wissing.
One of his plans: the driver's license at the age of 16. In the coalition agreement, it was agreed: "In order to train young people at an early stage for the dangers of road traffic, we will enable accompanied driving from the age of 16."
It is still unclear when this change will take effect.
It also remains to be seen what consequences the climate protection law announced for 2022 and the immediate climate program will have on the transport sector.
