No penalty imposed

Highway boss caught without TÜV sticker

The police caught the head of the German highway company with an expired TÜV sticker (symbolic image).(Bild: GTÜ)

The head of the German highway company, of all people, was caught by the police with an expired TÜV sticker. This corresponds to the sticker in Austria. The incident occurred while parking in Berlin.

When Michael Güntner, head of the federally owned Autobahn GmbH, parked his company car in the center of Berlin, a police patrol came and pointed out to him that the sticker on his car had expired. A spokesperson for Autobahn GmbH confirmed the incident when asked by "Spiegel". However, Güntner was not driving his regular company car, but a replacement vehicle.

No penalty due to transition period
"As the sticker (...) had not yet expired for four weeks, there was no fine," Autobahn GmbH also announced. The company's employees mainly drive company cars from the French manufacturer Peugeot. Senior management mainly use Volvo SUVs, it said.

Although no fine had to be paid, the incident is likely to have been embarrassing for the company. The TÜV sticker is awarded to vehicles that are classified as roadworthy and compliant with regulations. In Germany, new cars have to undergo a main inspection and emissions test after three years and then every two years. The cost is around 65 euros.

The vehicle may not be driven on the road without an inspection sticker. In Austria, an annual inspection is mandatory for cars from the second inspection onwards.