European neighbours Germany and France plan to test self-driving vehicles on a stretch of road linking the two countries, the transport ministry in Berlin said Wednesday, The Local reports.
The route -- aimed at testing "automated and connected driving in real cross-border traffic" -- will stretch around 70 kilometres (43 miles), from Merzig in Germany's western Saarland state to Metz in eastern France - which according to Google Maps is about a one-hour trip (see map below).
"Manufacturers will be able to test the connectivity of their systems, for example when lanes or speed limits change at the border," German Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt said in a statement following a meeting with French counterpart Alain Vidalies.
"We want to set worldwide standards for this key technology through cooperation between Europe's two biggest car-producing countries," he added.