Automotive/transportation is not one of the 10 categories under the RoHS Directive. A more appropriate place to look for material issues might be the end of life (ELV) directive.

EU RoHS does not apply to electrical and electronic products specifically intended for vehicles. The FAQ, recently updated, non-binding, and available at http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/pdf/faq_weee.pdf, states "if devices are not specifically designed to be used in vehicles, those devices would be covered by the RoHS Directive. If the devices are designed primarily for use in vehicles (such as car radios) then the ELV Directive applies."

ELV, the End of Life Vehicles directive does apply, but only to certain classes of vehicles. If "Germany" wants to know, I would hope it is not the German government you are referring to. One would hope they understand their own laws.

While the Automotive industry does fall outside the scope of the RoHS-Directive, the ELV (End of Life Vehicle) 2000/53/EC Directive does cover automotive industry and its products. And yes, much of the ELV has been carried over to the RoHS-Directive.

To see the ELV Directive, visit the EU Website or download the Directive.

On a side note, I would not call the automotive industry "RoHS-Exempt", rather; the Automotive industry has its own ELV directive. In many cases is similar to the RoHS-Directive. Also be aware that the ELV Directive was published in February 2000, three years before the RoHS- and WEEE-Directives.