BASt celebrates 75th anniversary open day Bergisch Gladbach; over 2,500 visitors attended
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Federal Highway and Transport Research Institute (BASt) Celebrates 75th Anniversary
Seven Decades of Excellence in Road and Transport Research
The Federal Highway and Transport Research Institute (BASt) proudly celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2026. Since its foundation in Cologne in 1951, the institute has evolved into one of Europe’s leading research institutions for road and transport engineering. To mark this milestone, BASt opened its doors to the public and hosted an extensive open day event, which was attended by distinguished guests including the Federal Minister of Transport, Patrick Schnieder.
75th anniversary celebration and open day
The anniversary celebrations took place in Bergisch Gladbach, east of Cologne, where the institute has been based since 1983. The open day attracted over 2,500 visitors, including government officials, representatives from international research institutions and industry partners, as well as local community members.
Federal Minister Patrick Schnieder delivered the keynote address, emphasising the critical role of BASt in shaping Germany’s transport policy and infrastructure development. The minister toured the institute’s unique large-scale testing facilities and met researchers working on cutting-edge projects in areas such as automated driving and sustainable construction.
2 Crashtests were the highlights of the open day (Source: BASt
BASt was established in 1951 . The post-war era demanded the reconstruction of Germany’s destroyed road infrastructure on a massive scale. Initially, the institute focused on testing of building materials, road surface research, and providing technical consultancy to the federal states.
The rapid increase in the number of motor vehicles led to rising accident rates. In West Germany, for example, traffic fatalities increased from 14,000 per year in 1960 to almost 20,000 in 1970. In 1965 , the institute was renamed the “Bundesanstalt für Straßenwesen” and was given an expanded mandate to improve road capacity and traffic safety. Traffic medicine, driver education, and vehicle testing became core responsibilities.
This decade was shaped by the oil crisis and growing environmental concerns. In the 1970s , BASt became Germany’s central authority for road accident research. BASt developed new driver training regulations, investigated the impact of alcohol and medication on driving performance, and built large-scale testing facilities. The institute also pioneered methods for analysing driver behaviour using instrumented test vehicles.
In 1983 , BASt moved to its current 20-hectare site in Bergisch Gladbach. The research priorities were expanded to include road preservation, environmental protection, noise reduction, and cost-benefit analysis. The institute began investigating reusable construction materials and traffic-calming measures.
1990s: Reunification and European integration
The reunification of Germany created new challenges, as the infrastructure in the eastern states was unprepared for mass motorisation. BASt supported the modernisation of roads, bridges, and tunnels to Western safety standards. European harmonisation of regulations became increasingly important, and BASt expanded its international cooperation.
2000s: Digitalisation and cooperative transport systems
The 21st century brought transformative changes through cooperative vehicle systems, electrification, and automated driving. In the 2000s, digitalisation shaped BASt’s work, with a focus on navigation, emergency call systems, and connected transportation systems. BASt developed traffic simulation models, provided support for the 2006 World Cup, improved tunnel safety, and promoted future technologies such as electric vehicles, renewable energy, and telematics-controlled parking systems.
Electric mobility became established, while climate-related challenges, such as heat damage to roads, increased. BASt focused on safety technologies such as camera systems, emergency braking assistants, and the “360° Angle” project, as well as field trials with longer commercial vehicles. Sustainability gained importance through geothermal analyses, life-cycle assessments, and tests conducted at the duraBASt facility.
2020s: Artificial intelligence and sustainability
The pandemic led to a decline in traffic, while extreme weather events such as the Ahr Valley flood caused damage to infrastructure. The BASt conducted research on the impacts of climate change, developed new systems for detecting parked trucks, and utilided virtual reality simulators. In addition, future technologies such as teleoperation, dynamic charging, and roadside photovoltaics were advanced. In August 2025, the Bridge Competence Center was launched as a national hub for bridge research.
In 2025 , the institute was renamed the “Bundesanstalt für Straßen- und Verkehrswesen” (Federal Highway and Transport Research Institute) to reflect its expanded scope in transport research.
BASt organises its core research activities into nine subject areas areas that address long-term mobility challenges. These subject areas are approached in a comprehensive and interdisciplinary manner using BASt’s various research tools.
Developing proactive maintenance strategies that use digital twins, precise condition assessment, and predictive models to reduce road closures and improve infrastructure availability throughout its lifecycle.
The service life of roads and structures can be extended by improving quality and optimising construction processes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The principles of circular economy are also applied to road construction.
Integrating renewable energy generation into road infrastructure, coupling the transport and energy sectors, and ensuring the climate-neutral operation of federal highways through intelligent digital solutions.
Reducing emissions and immissions (noise, air pollutants, light) through innovative materials and systems. Protecting water quality through effective road drainage and promoting biodiversity through sustainable roadside vegetation management.
Strengthening cycling and walking through infrastructure improvements, designing safer roads, and implementing behavioural change programmes. Enhancing intermodal connectivity and developing digital tools for mobility data analysis.
Working toward “Vision Zero” (zero fatalities) through the Federal Road Safety Programme 2021–2030. Addressing demographic change, vehicle automation, and new forms of mobility through interdisciplinary research.
Preparing market access for automated vehicle functions, developing national and international standards for vehicles and infrastructure, and advising policymakers on technological transformation and data exchange.
Expanding BASt’s role as a central hub for transport data by using digital twins, advanced algorithms, and standardised data formats. Enabling a holistic analysis of complex transport systems to promote the sustainable use of resources.
Developing educational concepts to address the shortage of qualified professionals in road and transport engineering. These concepts support lifelong learning and facilitate knowledge transfer within and beyond BASt.
BASt operates as a departmental research institution operating under the Federal Ministry of Transport (BMV). BASt employs approximately 400 staff members and has an annual budget of 53 million euros. The institute manages over 500 research projects each year, including 285 internal projects and over than 250 externally funded projects.
The organisation comprises five technical departments (25 specialized divisions), an accredited testing laboratory for highway equipment, an accredited calibration laboratory (acceleration), the administration department and four staff units, including the staff unit Digitisation Road Sector.
The campus features ten testing halls with large-scale testing facilities that are unique worldwide, as well as various outdoor proving grounds.
BASt has cooperation agreements with 25 partner institutions in 13 countries, and is involved in over 810 committees of app. 130 national and international organisations. The institute plays a pivotal role in developing of European and international regulations and standards relating to road construction, vehicle safety, and transport systems.
As BASt enters its eighth decade, the institute remains committed to its mission: improving the safety, environmental compatibility, economic efficiency, and performance of roads and transport for all users. The challenges ahead, climate change, digitalisation, demographic shifts, and evolving mobility patterns, require continued innovation and international collaboration.
For more information, please refer to the Annual Report 2025 .