Novel about a household name opens The Road - the German translation (8)

I believe the answer is:

autobahn

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'the road the german translation' is the definition.
I can't tell whether this defines the answer.

'novel about a household name opens' is the wordplay.
'novel' indicates anagramming the letters.
'opens' says to take the initial letters.
The initial letters of 'household name' is 'hn'.
'about' is an anagram of 'autob'.
'autob'+'a'+'hn'='AUTOBAHN'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for autobahn that I've seen before include "German lanes" , "Motorway in Germany" , "It takes continental drivers" , "high-speed route" , "One way the Germans drive" .)

I've seen this clue in the Irish Times and the Irish Times (Crosaire).

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