Interview: “Doing climate protection with a sense of proportion”

Have car clubs outlived each other? Michael Kirchberger spoke to Lutz Leif Linden, General Secretary of the Automobilclub von Deutschland e. V. about letters of protection, motorsport and the development of emissions legislation.

Mr. Linden, the AvD is the oldest car club in Germany. But do such associations still have a future with their support for motorists, when insurers and manufacturers themselves offer letters of protection and mobility guarantees?

“As you quite rightly say, we can look back on a tradition that now goes back more than 120 years. During this time we have developed a whole range of services and activities for mobile people that are taken for granted today, such as B. comprehensive insurance or the IAA. But we do not rest on that, but continuously develop our offers and services for our members. Our family membership ensures global breakdown assistance that begins on the doorstep, but also global patient repatriation and traffic law advice. It is person-related and not vehicle-related, it also applies to vehicles older than ten 10 years and bicycles. That has no cover letter and no mobility guarantee to offer, especially since they cap the financial volume of their aid. “

Other clubs have negotiated a small discount on refueling, what material advantages do your members get?

“AvD members can use attractive special conditions when shopping at our partners and receive discount checks for carrying out care and maintenance work on the vehicle. Show me an insurance company or an automaker that can keep up with this range of services. In addition, we really stand up for the interests of motorists without pursuing our own economic interests. We give motorists a voice in committees and associations, participate in the political discussion on the topics of mobility policy without talking to one party and are committed to the further development of road safety. “

Motorsport has always been a passion of the AvD. But Formula 1 and DTM are losing attention. Where does the club see its future competencies?

“Competition and motorsport are part of our DNA. That is why it is still part of our activities now and in the future. We do this as a sporting organizer, as a participant and with a program to promote young talent. This season we will be bringing our own electric rally car to the start in the Opel e-Rallye Cup, the majority of which will be held as part of the German Rally Championship. And through our ‘AvD Young Talent Program’, we have found a young driver who drives our car. “

Is the DTM still attractive?

“We work closely with Gerhard Berger and his team from ITR and support them in the current phase of upheaval in the DTM, the flagship of German touring car racing. At the races, we will not only act as a sporting organizer, we will also take care of the supplementary racing program. We are not only helped by our knowledge, which we have acquired as the 78-time organizer of the Formula 1 German Grand Prix. We will of course also bring in our experience from historic motorsport, which we have gathered over decades with the AvD Oldtimer Grand Prix at the Nürburgring. “

With a petition to the EU Commission against the proposals to dramatically tighten the exhaust gas limits, the AvD has caused a sensation in recent weeks. Does he take climate protection lightly?

“Not at all. But we advocate doing climate protection with common sense and a sense of proportion. But in order to further effectively reduce the emissions of all motor vehicles and to ensure the affordability of individual mobility for all citizens of Europe in the future, we need technology openness. The proposal for a Euro 7 standard under discussion in Brussels does exactly the opposite. It lays down framework conditions that unilaterally favor electromobility and would thus put political shackles on the developers. In doing so, the EU would embark on a path that would de-democratize the car and make it a sinfully expensive means of transport only accessible to the rich and privileged. At the same time, the plans mean a massive devaluation of the car fleet. In Germany alone, around 47 million cars would be affected by this destruction of value. We can neither accept that as a lawyer for motorists and committed motorists, nor as committed democrats. The EU Commission would also be well advised not to make its considerations apart from the actual situation. The development of the European charging infrastructure in particular continues to lag behind the demand that the current e-car fleet in Europe has. It would border on ignorance to unilaterally propagate the e-car and at the same time remain guilty of expanding the necessary supply facilities. Please do not misunderstand: I am not against e-mobility. But the tasks that go hand in hand with their dissemination must not be ignored. “

Are you in favor of the “transparent motorist”, as some insurance companies demand, if it improves road safety?

“The AvD participates in the FIA ​​campaign ‘My Car My Data’, both with regard to the collection of driving data from increasingly connected vehicles, but also with regard to personal usage data. Accordingly, we also reject the data collection frenzy of insurance companies. The argument of wanting to increase road safety is only an advanced one. No accident can be prevented just because an insurance company has detailed insights into my life, my route or my driving style. Rather, this approach means giving up the actual business model of insurance companies, which provides for the protection of the individual by spreading the risk among many. A mutual protection, so to speak. In addition, the individual has no way of checking whether the data they have collected are correct, how they are processed and how they are related to other personal data. So this question is not just about the ‘glass driver’, but rather about the ‘glass person’. “

Has the age of your new members changed in recent years?

“We can really observe a positive development here, because the group of under 35s has grown significantly in recent years. The proportion of women has also increased significantly. It seems that membership in an automobile club is by no means something of the past, but is increasingly viewed by modern, progressive people as useful and desirable. “

What is your vision of future mobility?

“Former Chancellor Helmut Schmidt once said: ‘Anyone who has visions should go to the doctor.’ I wouldn’t go that far, but visions of the future have the regrettable quality of being out of date within a very short time. This also applies to the mobility of the future. Because there is really music in here and there are many new influences and aspects to be included. But I am convinced that the car will continue to hold its fascination for a large number of people – whether as a combustion engine, as an e-car, with a hydrogen drive or whatever. The car is synonymous with quality of life, independence, flexibility and ultimately personal freedom. The disciples of the propagated traffic turnaround seem to me to ignore that all too often. “

And digitization?

“Digitization will open up new, additional possibilities for mobility. It seems pretty certain to me that the networking of various mobility offers will continue to make progress. However, it is questionable whether the new mobility offers will catch on with people. From today’s perspective, it seems very likely that cars in the second half of the century will be able to drive highly automated or autonomously while the occupants read, work or sleep. The necessary technical challenges as well as the legal framework should have been mastered by then. I can also well imagine that in a few years’ time, drones will be available for the transport of goods and passengers. But will the demand be great enough to be able to implement a viable business model? That will only become apparent when the time comes. “(Ampnet / mk)

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