Kraftfahrtbundesamt celebrates 75 years of vehicle registration and road safety

The Federal Motor Transport Authority (Kraftfahrtbundesamt, KBA) in Flensburg marked its 75th anniversary on 4 August 2026. Founded on 4 August 1951, the agency combined three earlier bodies – a driver‑information office (1910), a driver‑file (1934) and the Reich Office for Type Testing (1937) – to create a single register for vehicles, driver fitness and type approvals.

Since its inception, the KBA has overseen the growth of Germany’s vehicle fleet from about 2.5 million vehicles in the early 1950s to more than 61 million in 2025. The surge in traffic led to high road‑fatality numbers, peaking at over 21 000 deaths per year, prompting the introduction of the nationwide point‑system in 1974, which can revoke licences for repeated offences. Looking ahead, the agency is focusing on digital vehicle registration, automated driving technologies and stronger international vehicle monitoring.

The anniversary highlights the KBA’s long‑standing role in German mobility, road‑safety statistics, and its shift toward a more digitalised future.