Like many areas of life, the coronavirus pandemic has shaken up the way people are learning to drive in Germany, with many schools now offering theory lessons remotely via the internet. However, driving schools have pushed back against a proposal that this setup should continue, saying the quality of education with distance learning is not the same. 

Transport Committee calls for online theory lessons to continue

In Germany, the theory portion of the test requires the learner driver to take 14 rounds of 90-minute lessons that cover basic topics like traffic, priority rules, road signs, speed and distances, and how to respond in emergencies, before sitting an exam. 

For the past two years, much of this theoretical study has moved online, to allow learner drivers to continue their studies despite coronavirus restrictions. Now, the transport committee has asked the German Bundesrat to create a legal framework for online theory lessons to continue in future. 

However, the proposal has been met with fierce resistance from several driving school associations, who warn that allowing online theory lessons cannot act as a permanent alternative to face-to-face lessons when teaching people skills fundamental to driving in Germany. 

Learner drivers more easily distracted when remote learning

According to Jürgen Kopp, chairperson of the Federal Association for Driving Instructor Associations (BVF), experiences over the last two years have shown that learner drivers are less involved in remote lessons, and are often distracted. “This in turn has a major impact on the learning effectiveness and on attitudes towards road safety,” he said. 

This position was backed up by the German Driving Instructor Academy and the interest group Moving. “A pure online theory lesson will never offer the training quality that is possible in face-to-face teaching,” said the Academy’s president, Gerhard von Bressendorf. 

However, some federal states have already come out in support of the proposal. Lower Saxony and Hesse in particular are in favour of embracing the possibilities offered by distance learning, which can not only save time and money, but also allow learner drivers to experience driving scenarios not normally within easy reach. 

“Especially in a flat state like Lower Saxony, it is no longer possible to explain to learner drivers why they sometimes have to travel long distances when there are inexpensive, pedagogically suitable and above all tried-and-tested digital solutions,” said Bernd Althusmann, Transport Minister for Lower Saxony. 

The Federal Council is due to decide on a corresponding change in the regulations on driving licences on Friday.