Type Approval and Type Certification - Decreasing Fuel Consumption and Exhaust Gas Emissions in Transportation - page 168

Chapter 12
Type Approval and Type Certification
Legislation prescribes strict procedures for the approval and the certification of
vehicles, airplanes, and ships worldwide, but the requirements are different in
individual countries.
12.1 Tests of Vehicles
Vehicles are checked during the production phase in the ''Compliance of produc-
tion'' which tests the gas and particle emissions of new motor vehicles. This
examination decides whether production may be continued or not. The statistical
rule for the sampling is very different in Europe, in the USA and in California [ 1 ].
Random Field Monitoring (FM) of used motor vehicles must prove whether the
exhaust gas limits are maintained after approximately 80,000 km (49,720 mi) and
160,000 km (99,441 mi). This examination decides whether the producers will get
a certificate verifying the fulfillment of the regulations over the defined runtime.
Otherwise the manufacturer must recall all motor vehicles of that series to get
them modified.
Figure 12.1 summarizes the main methods of quality control of vehicles.
Type Approval (TA) is prescribed for manufacturers to qualify the first type of
vehicles. This examination decides whether a new type of vehicle or an existing
vehicle with substantially changed parts, may be produced.
In the future, Self Diagnosis can complete the methods of quality control. It can
contribute to the improvement of mobile Field Monitoring.