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Vehicle type approvals, new European regulations in force from 2020
Editorial Staff
Europe’s emission control system is about to undergo extensive reforms following Brussels decision to approved past proposals in this regard, including stricter controls throughout the whole continental market. Waiting for the green light by the European Council, EGEA analyzes the changes.
Another step towards new vehicle type approval rules. The European Parliament has recently approved to reform the Union’s emissions control system as well as the supervisory bodies involved and inspection centres. If, as expected, the Council's go-ahead should arrive in the coming months, the new regulation will become final and take effect from 1st September, 2020. The legislation’s objective, at least according to Brussels, is to ensure that all new and future models circulating throughout the continent are "clean and safe".
What’s new
This new regulation, according to a note by EGEA (European Garage Equipment Association), introduces a new testing regime to ensure cars remain within emission limits throughout their lifetime. Furthermore, the text clarifies the responsibilities of national type approval authorities, testing centres and market surveillance bodies, in order to make them more independent and prevent conflicts of interest. But there is more. This legislation also requires that every EU member country conducts a minimum number of checks on cars each year (at least one for every 40,000 new motor vehicles registered in that member state in the preceding year), 20 % of which will have to be emissions-related. As far as countries with a low number of car registrations are concerned, there is a minimum requirement of five tests to be conducted each year. The EU Commission will also be able to: carry out vehicle tests and inspections to verify compliance, trigger Union-wide recalls and impose administrative fines on car manufacturers of up to €30,000 for each non-compliant vehicle.
Access to data
A vital aspect of the new legislation is related to accessing maintenance and repair information (RMI). The new rules introduce significant changes the first of which consists in clarifying the possibility to use standardized OBD connectors to collect essential vehicle information and technical data. In addition, it is specified that third parties as well as service providers cannot be excluded from accessing vehicle data when the same is moving (for read-only functions). Another new element is the inclusion of necessary information needed to prepare vehicles for inspection tests as well as defining maintenance and repair procedures: previously these were not available to the manufacturers of diagnostic equipment as required by the 2014/45/EU on periodic roadworthiness tests. Finally, it is also possible to obtain the necessary technical data in electronic format.
What’s new
This new regulation, according to a note by EGEA (European Garage Equipment Association), introduces a new testing regime to ensure cars remain within emission limits throughout their lifetime. Furthermore, the text clarifies the responsibilities of national type approval authorities, testing centres and market surveillance bodies, in order to make them more independent and prevent conflicts of interest. But there is more. This legislation also requires that every EU member country conducts a minimum number of checks on cars each year (at least one for every 40,000 new motor vehicles registered in that member state in the preceding year), 20 % of which will have to be emissions-related. As far as countries with a low number of car registrations are concerned, there is a minimum requirement of five tests to be conducted each year. The EU Commission will also be able to: carry out vehicle tests and inspections to verify compliance, trigger Union-wide recalls and impose administrative fines on car manufacturers of up to €30,000 for each non-compliant vehicle.
Access to data
A vital aspect of the new legislation is related to accessing maintenance and repair information (RMI). The new rules introduce significant changes the first of which consists in clarifying the possibility to use standardized OBD connectors to collect essential vehicle information and technical data. In addition, it is specified that third parties as well as service providers cannot be excluded from accessing vehicle data when the same is moving (for read-only functions). Another new element is the inclusion of necessary information needed to prepare vehicles for inspection tests as well as defining maintenance and repair procedures: previously these were not available to the manufacturers of diagnostic equipment as required by the 2014/45/EU on periodic roadworthiness tests. Finally, it is also possible to obtain the necessary technical data in electronic format.
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#Vehicle approval, the EU’s efforts in ensuring free accessibility to OBD data#Vehicle type-approval, direct EU supervision on emission controls
