Type Approval - in The Automotive Industry

In The Automotive Industry

Vehicle Type Approval is the confirmation that production samples of a design will meet specified performance standards. Traditionally, there are two systems of Type Approval in Europe. The first one bases on the EC Directives and regulates the approval of whole vehicles, vehicle systems, and separate components. The second one is part of the United Nations Economic Community for Europe regulations (UNECE) and also regulates the approval of whole vehicles, vehicle systems, and separate components. Recent changes to the requirements have seen the General Safety Regulation (GSR) EC661/2009 amending Directive 2007/46/EC by substituting the equivalent UNECE Regulations in place of the EC Directives. In effect the Directives are being relaced by UNECE Regulations. This now makes compliance with the UNECE Regulations for Type Approval submissions compulsory from 1 November 2012 and compulsory for all vehicles entering to service from 1 November 2014.

The new Framework Directive (Directive 2007/46/EC establishing a framework for the approval of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles) rules the approval schemes of the new motor vehicles and their trailers in the European Union:

• European Community Whole Vehicle Type Approval (ECWVTA), this currently applies to passenger cars. from the 29th October 2012, ECWVTA was extended to cover all new road vehicles and their trailers.
• United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) regulations.
• National Small Series Type Approval (NSSTA) - the key advantages of this scheme are that some technical requirements may be reduced in comparison with ECWVTA; however, the number of vehicles that can be manufactured are limited.
• Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA)