Type approval

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The type approval is a term from the provisions of the German Road Traffic Licensing Regulations (StVZO) with regard to vehicle parts and general operating permits. In the course of globalization , it is usually replaced today by the regulation according to the EU conformity assessment or the ECE regulations .

Legal basis

The legal basis is § 22a of the German StVZO , according to which certain devices used on vehicles (regardless of whether they require or do not require authorization) must be of an officially approved design. These facilities are listed below:

  • Heaters in motor vehicles, with the exception of electric heaters and hot water heaters, in which the engine's cooling water is used as a heat source (Section 35c (1));
  • Pneumatic tires (Section 36 (1a));
  • Anti-skid devices (Section 37 Paragraph 1 Clause 2);
  • Panes made of safety glass (Section 40) and foils for panes made of safety glass;
  • Front protection systems (Section 30c (4));
  • Overrun brakes (Section 41 (10)), with the exception of their transmission devices and overrun brakes, which have been tested in accordance with the provisions on braking systems mentioned in the appendix to Section 41 (18) and whose compliance is certified in the intended form;
  • Devices for connecting vehicles (Section 43 (1)), with the exception of
    • Facilities that, for technical reasons, cannot be dealt with independently in the approval process (e.g. drawbars on single-axle trailers if they are part of the frame and cannot be adjusted),
    • Farm rails (trailer rails), their fastening devices and the three-point attachment to agricultural or forestry tractors or work machines,
    • Towing devices on agricultural or forestry equipment that are carried behind vehicles and can only perform a work appropriate to their purpose while driving, if they are intended for connection with the equipment mentioned under letter b,
    • Towing and maneuvering equipment including tow bars and tow ropes,
    • Long trees,
    • Connecting devices on implements that are attached to agricultural or forestry tractors;
  • Headlights for high beam and for low beam as well as for high beam and low beam (Section 50);
  • Marker lights (Section 51 (1) and (2), Section 53b (1));
  • Lane departure warning lights (Section 51 (4));
  • Side marker lights (Section 51a (6));
  • Parking lights, parking warning signs (§ 51c);
  • Clearance lights (§ 51b);
  • Fog lights (Section 52 (1));
  • Beacons for flashing blue lights (Section 52 (3));
  • Forward-looking beacons for red flashing lights with only one main direction of emission (stop signal) (Section 52 (3a));
  • Beacons for yellow flashing lights (Section 52 (4));
  • Reversing lights (§ 52a);
  • Tail lights (Section 53 (1) and (6), Section 53b);
  • Brake lights (Section 53 (2));
  • Reflectors (Section 51 (2), Section 51a (1), Section 53 (4), (6) and (7), Section 53b, Section 66a (4) of this Ordinance, Section 22 (4) of the Road Traffic Regulations );
  • Warning triangles and warning lights (Section 53a Paragraphs 1 and 3);
  • Rear fog lights (Section 53d);
  • Direction indicators (flashing lights) (Section 53b (5), Section 54);
  • Portable flashing lights and red and white warning markings for tail lifts (Section 53b (5));
  • Light sources for lighting equipment requiring type approval, provided that the light sources are not an integral part of the equipment (Section 49a (6), Section 67 (10) of this Ordinance, Section 22 (4) and (5) of the Road Traffic Regulations);
  • Warning devices with a sequence of sounds of different basic frequencies - emergency horn - (Section 55 (3));
  • Warning devices with a sequence of sounds of different basic frequencies (stop horn) (Section 55 (3a));
  • Tachograph (§ 57a);
  • Lighting devices for license plates (Section 10 of the Vehicle Registration Ordinance);
  • Lighting devices for transparent license plates (Section 10 Vehicle Registration Ordinance);
  • Alternators, headlights for low beam, also with high beam function or with daytime running light function, tail lights, also with brake light function, direction indicators, red, yellow and white reflectors, pedal reflectors and retroreflective strips on tires, rims or in the spokes, white retroreflective spokes or spoke sleeves for bicycles and Bicycle trailers (Section 67 (1) to (5), Section 67a (1));
  • Seat belts and other restraint systems in motor vehicles;
  • Lights to secure protruding cargo (Section 22 Paragraphs 4 and 5 of the Road Traffic Regulations);
  • Restraint devices for children in motor vehicles (Section 35a (12) of this Ordinance and Section 21 (1a) of the Road Traffic Regulations).

According to Section 22a (2) of the StVZO, the approval process is carried out in accordance with the Vehicle Parts Ordinance (FzTV). According to Section 1 Paragraph 1 of this Ordinance, the approval of the design of vehicle parts can be granted as a general design approval (ABG) for series-produced ( sections 2-10 ) or as a design approval in individual cases - individual approval - (EBG) for individual parts that do not belong to an approved type become ( §§ 11-14 ).

Vehicle parts that have to be of an officially approved design may only be offered for sale, sold, purchased or used for use within the scope of the German StVZO if they are marked with an officially prescribed and assigned test mark. (22a StVZO Paragraph 2) However, this does not apply to facilities for which an individual permit within the meaning of the Vehicle Parts Ordinance has been issued. If such facilities are used in traffic, the certificate of approval must be carried with you and handed over to the responsible persons for examination on request; this does not apply if the approval is derived from the vehicle registration document, from the evidence according to Section 4 (5) of the Vehicle Registration Ordinance or from the trailer directory carried instead of the registration certificate Part II.

Vehicle parts that are not type-approved within the meaning of Section 22a (1) StVZO may not be offered for sale if there is an objective possibility that they will be used in Germany and thus within the scope of the StVZO.

Procedure

Approval is granted by the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) upon written application from the manufacturer. The appraisal of a test center must be attached to the application. Depending on the vehicle part, certain test centers such as B. the TÜV or other technical test centers responsible. The Federal Motor Transport Authority issues the written type approval and also determines any conditions, restrictions or exceptions.

General type approval

Certification mark and letters of the certification mark

Taillight unit of a Porsche 356 with approval mark (click on the image to enlarge). The test mark consists of a wavy line of three periods and - in the present case - the code letter "K" for lighting equipment and the number 23375.

In a general design approval issued by the Federal Motor Transport Authority, the test mark assigned according to the sample in Appendix 3 to Section 7 (1) of the FzTV is specified ( Section 4 (1) and Section 7 (1), sentence 4 of the FzTV). The test mark consists of a wavy line of three periods, one or two identification letters, a number and, if necessary, additional characters. The code letter indicates the type of vehicle parts according to the following list:

If vehicle parts of two different types are jointly approved, the test mark contains both code letters. ( § 7 paragraph 1 FzTV)

Approval marks that were assigned on the basis of type approval before November 19, 1998 and contain one of the following code letters may continue to be affixed until the respective type approval expires and continue to apply unchanged (Section 7 (3) FzTV)

this also applies to the distinctive letter E for tachograph checked by the national calibration directorate North Rhine-Westphalia in Cologne . (These code letters are no longer reassigned when a type approval is issued.) ( Annex 2 Part 2 (to Section 7 Paragraph 3) FzTV)

According to the version of the Vehicle Parts Ordinance in force before November 19, 1998, each test center was assigned an identification letter (previously: the test center's distinctive letter), which it used in the assigned test mark when granting type approvals. The following is a list of the current test centers with their previously assigned code letters, which are test centers in accordance with Section 5, Paragraph 1, Sentence 2, No. 1 of the FzTV:

  • D: Materials Testing Office North Rhine-Westphalia (previously responsible for: Safety glass including foils for application to the windows of vehicles)
  • E: TÜV NORD Mobility GmbH & Co. KG → IFM - Institute for Vehicle Technology and Mobility (previously responsible for: tachograph)
  • F: RWTÜV Fahrzeug GmbH (previously responsible for: overrun brakes, devices for connecting vehicles)
  • G: State Materials Testing Institute at the University of Stuttgart (previously responsible for: seat belts , restraint devices for children in motor vehicles )
  • K: Light Technology Institute of the University of Karlsruhe Test center for light technology devices on vehicles (previously responsible for: light technology devices)
  • L: Examination committee for wheel slide protection devices at the Federal Motor Transport Authority (previously responsible for: wheel slide protection devices)
  • M: TÜV AUTOMOTIVE GMBH Group TÜV Süddeutschland, Munich area (previously responsible for: devices for connecting vehicles, overrun brakes, warning devices with a sequence of sounds of different basic frequencies - emergency horn)
  • N: DEKRA type test center / technical service of DEKRA Automobil AG (previously responsible for: heating systems, anti-skid devices, safety glass panes, overrun brakes, devices for connecting vehicles, warning devices with a sequence of sounds of different basic frequencies - emergency horn, seat belts, restraint devices for children in motor vehicles , Tachographs and control devices)
  • S: Test center for vehicle parts in the Research Institute for Motor Vehicles and Vehicle Engines (previously responsible for: Heating) ( Appendix 2 Part 1 (to Section 5 (1) Clause 2 No. 1 and 2, Section 7 (3) FzTV)

Technical services that are recognized in accordance with Section 30 of the EC Vehicle Approval Ordinance are also test centers (in accordance with Section 5 Paragraph 1 Clause 2 No. 3 FzTV).

There used to be other test centers with their own distinctive letters, which are not test centers according to Section 5 (1) sentence 2 No. 1 FzTV today:

Certification mark that is assigned when a general type approval is issued if the approval procedure has been carried out under conditions that have been agreed between the Federal Republic of Germany and other countries. The test mark consists of a circle with the letter "E" and the code number 1 for the Federal Republic of Germany inside, as well as the approval number. The latter must be placed outside the circle (not included in the above illustration).

Approval marks for approval procedures based on international agreements

If the approval procedure has been carried out under conditions that have been agreed by the Federal Republic of Germany with other countries, a test mark is to be assigned to the corresponding vehicle part, which consists of a circle with the letter "E" and the code 1 for the Federal Republic of Germany, as well as from the approval number. The latter must be placed outside the circle. ( E-mark ) (§ 7 Paragraph 2 FzTV)

Conformity of production

The Federal Motor Transport Authority can, without prior notice, check or have it checked by holders of the license during normal business hours whether vehicle parts whose type is officially approved and which have the assigned test mark comply with the official type approvals and whether vehicle parts that are officially approved must be executed, be offered for sale in designs that do not have the prescribed test mark or are attached without authorization (product testing). For this purpose it can also take or have samples taken. ( Section 9 (2) FzTV).

Web links

References

  1. ↑ Sale of vehicle parts without an official test mark Higher Regional Court Hamm, decision of 25.09.2012 - I-4 W 72/12, rechtsindex.de
  2. ↑ A complete presentation of the samples can be found in the publication in the Federal Law Gazette (original version of the FzTV dated August 12, 1998 ( BGBl. 1998 I p. 2142 )).
  3. ↑ Ordinance on the testing and marking of vehicle parts requiring type approval (Vehicle Parts Ordinance) in the version of September 30, 1960 ( Federal Law Gazette 1960 I p. 782 ).

literature

  • Konitzer + Wehrmeister: §19 changes to the vehicle and operating permit. 2nd Edition. Kirschbaum-Verlag, ISBN 3-7812-1426-5