[josters]

While the text mentions the autobahn having been of little strategic importance, there is a paper[1] which states that it “was effective in boosting popular support, helping to entrench the Nazi dictatorship”.

From the abstract: ”[…] Nazi propaganda used the Autobahn as a powerful symbol of successful economic policy, putting an effective end to austerity – so that many Germans credited the Nazi regime for the economic recovery. In line with this interpretation, we show that support for the Nazis increased even more where highway construction coincided with greater radio availability – a major source of propaganda. The effect of highways was also significantly stronger in politically unstable states of the Weimar Republic. Our results suggest that infrastructure spending can raise support for autocracy when voters are led to associate it with visible economic progress and an end to political instability.“

[1]: https://www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w20150/w201...

[icegreentea2]

The article covers that - "Secondly, it would be a political showpiece".

The article's use of "strategic" is in the context of "the autobahn was of low strategic importance for much of WWII". When coupled with "The reichsautobahn gained real military relevance only in 1945 as WWII closed in on Germany itself", it's clear that the text meant strategic from a military stand point.

Once the war started (and especially once they invaded the USSR), I highly doubt the autobahn was anywhere in the top 10 (or top 100...) reasons why Germany kept fighting.