On Thursday afternoon, 1 October, Juan José Matarí, Chair of the Spanish Senate’s Ibero-American Affairs Committee, invited Guillermo Magaz, General Director of AECA-ITV, to take part in a working session held at the Spanish Senate in Madrid within the framework of the Ibero-American Parliamentary Forum.
The session was organised ahead of the Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government, scheduled for November, and focused on the presentation of the report and draft resolution entitled “Towards an Ibero-American Road Safety Area”.
The initiative aims to strengthen cooperation between Ibero-American countries in the field of road safety and to promote a more coordinated approach to policies, institutional frameworks and measures designed to reduce road fatalities and serious injuries across the region.
The work builds on the Madrid Declaration, adopted last June, as well as on the document Recuperando la esperanza, to which CITA – the International Motor Vehicle Inspection Committee – contributed.
CITA’s participation in this process reflects its continued commitment to supporting evidence-based road safety policies and to highlighting the important role of vehicle roadworthiness and periodic technical inspection in achieving safer mobility.
Last Friday (2 October 2026), CITA held a dedicated webinar on the latest developments of the EU Roadworthiness Package (RWP). Organized jointly by CITA Topic Area C “External Affairs” and the Task Force on the Roadworthiness Package, the session gave members an update on the ongoing trialogue negotiations and CITA’s priorities during this important phase.
The webinar was led by Richard Goebelt, Chairperson of CITA Topic Area C, and Michael Wenzel, Chairperson of the CITA Task Force (TF) on the Roadworthiness Package.
Participants reviewed the current state of the legislative process, with technical trilogue discussions progressing and several politically sensitive issues still open. Key topics included inspection frequencies, motorcycles, zero-emission vehicles, PN/NOx testing, recall information, mutual recognition, electronic safety systems and access to vehicle technical data.
A central part of the webinar focused on CITA’s comparative analysis of the proposals from the European Commission, Council and European Parliament, together with input from specialized CITA TF. The aim is to identify differences with existing CITA positions and develop coordinated recommendations.
CITA also reiterated the importance of clearly distinguishing the roles of PTI, type approval and market surveillance, while ensuring that future roadworthiness requirements remain effective, technically feasible and adapted to modern vehicle technologies.
The webinar concluded with a discussion on CITA’s next activities while negotiations continue and helped build momentum ahead of the CITA RAG Europe Conference in Vilnius on 20–21 October 2026, where the Roadworthiness Package will remain a key topic.
On 30 September and 1 October 2026, the CITA ADAS Task Force met at the DEKRA Technology Center in Klettwitz, Germany, to continue its work on practical approaches for assessing Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) during PTI.
The meeting focused on developing reliable, practical and economically viable ADAS testing methods that could be integrated into existing and future PTI frameworks.
Participants discussed several testing concepts, including static radar testing to identify sensor misalignment, signal attenuation and changes in radar patterns, as well as dynamic and vehicle-in-the-loop approaches to assess the actual behaviour of ADAS functions under controlled conditions.
Particular attention was given to the limitations of vehicle self-diagnostic systems. While onboard diagnostics can identify certain faults, degradation affecting sensors or ADAS performance may not always generate a stored diagnostic fault. This highlights the need for complementary inspection methods capable of verifying the effective performance of safety-related systems.
The Task Force also discussed the importance of suitable reference data, repeatability, measurement uncertainty and meaningful pass/fail criteria. Practical aspects such as testing time, equipment costs, required space and integration into existing inspection stations were also considered.
The meeting confirmed that further validation, field data and improved access to vehicle information will be necessary before common inspection approaches can be established. Greater alignment between type approval and PTI requirements throughout the vehicle lifecycle will also be essential.
The CITA ADAS Task Force will continue working with its members and technical experts to develop practical, repeatable and proportionate inspection methods for ADAS-equipped vehicles.
CITA sincerely thanks all participants for their valuable contributions and constructive discussions, and especially DEKRA for its excellent hospitality, for hosting the meeting at the DEKRA Technology Center, and for supporting the technical demonstrations.
Held in commemoration of World Car Free Day, the webinar brought together road safety organisations and technical experts to discuss how vehicle regulation, safety technologies, institutional capacity, fleet management and effective roadworthiness systems can contribute to reducing road traffic deaths and serious injuries across Africa. The programme addressed five main areas: vehicle safety standards and regulation, institutional capacity and partnerships, vehicle safety technologies, private-sector fleet management, and vehicle inspection and roadworthiness.
CITA was represented by Eduard Fernández, Executive Director, who delivered a presentation on “Institutional Capacity and Partnerships”, focusing on the role of Road Safety Lead Agencies and on how AARSLA–CITA technical cooperation can support sustained capacity development.
In his intervention, Eduard Fernández highlighted the importance of considering vehicle safety throughout the entire life of a vehicle. Vehicles undergo repairs, maintenance, modifications, changes of ownership and use, crashes and other events after entering service, making effective in-use vehicle governance an essential element of the road safety framework.
A key message of CITA's contribution was the need to combine sound technical solutions with appropriate governance. While existing technical frameworks and international experience can be used as a basis, governance arrangements need to reflect the specific circumstances of each country.
The webinar provided an opportunity to exchange experience between road safety agencies, policymakers and technical organisations and to consider practical approaches for strengthening vehicle safety governance across African markets.
CITA participated in the "Programme de formation à la gestion de la sécurité routière et à la résilience des routes" held in Djibouti from 20 to 23 September 2026, contributing its expertise on vehicle inspection systems and safer vehicles.
The four-day programme addresses road safety from a comprehensive perspective, covering institutional management, climate resilience, road safety data, safer vehicles, safer roads and mobility, safer road users and post-crash response. It also has a strong practical connection with Djibouti’s Regional Economic Corridor Project and the rehabilitation of the RN1, the country’s strategic road link between the Port of Djibouti and Ethiopia.
On 21 September, CITA was represented online by Eduard Fernández, Executive Director, who contributed to the programme’s “Safer Vehicles” module. His intervention focused on the application of the CITA AVIS methodology and on the financial viability of vehicle inspection systems, as foreseen in the programme.
During his presentation, Fernández highlighted that vehicle regulatory schemes remain fundamentally a responsibility of the State: they are mandatory, involve the exercise of public authority, and require governments to remain responsible even where certain activities are outsourced.
A central message was the importance of governance in translating regulatory requirements into effective implementation. Any regulatory system needs clearly defined governance arrangements and adequate resources for supervision. At the same time, vehicle inspection systems need to be realistic and flexible, allowing for the progressive improvement of the vehicle fleet while adapting to fleet growth, available human and technical resources, infrastructure and changes in the regulatory framework.
CITA’s participation in the Djibouti programme reflects its commitment to supporting the development of effective, sustainable and well-governed vehicle inspection systems as an integral component of broader road safety strategies.
About CITA AVIS (Assessment Vehicle Inspection System)
CITA AVIS and AVIS Scoring are methodologies used to assess vehicle technical inspection systems. While AVIS provides a qualitative assessment, AVIS Scoring combines qualitative and quantitative approaches and evaluates how an inspection system works not only in theory, but also in practice.
The assessment covers seven areas: general rules and systems, impartiality and anti-corruption, supervision, exercise of authority, vehicle scope, inspection content and methods, and inspector qualifications.
By comparing the regulatory framework with its implementation on the ground, AVIS can help authorities identify areas for improvement and establish measurable objectives for the development of their vehicle inspection systems.
UNIQUESEC invented and developed an automotive radar verification system called ASGARD. This product enables rich environment simulation for radars. Recently, their new invention for radar PTI got first patent granted.
Their technologies allows over the air and vehicle is loop testing of automotive radars.
On 16 September 2026, CITA participated in the hybrid event “Ensuring Safe and Sustainable Vehicles in EBRD Countries”, organized by Global NCAP and EASST and hosted at the EBRD headquarters in London.
The event brought together representatives from EBRD, EASST and Global NCAP, alongside road safety specialists from the FIA Foundation, CITA and the Automobile Club of Moldova, to discuss vehicle safety and sustainable transport policies. The programme was structured around two sessions addressing progress and priorities for vehicle safety, as well as the role of vehicles within sustainable transport.
CITA was represented online by Eduard Fernández, Executive Director, who delivered the presentation “Vehicle Roadworthiness and the Role of Data” during the session dedicated to Vehicles and Sustainable Transport.
In his presentation, Fernández highlighted the importance of considering vehicle safety throughout the entire vehicle lifecycle. Vehicles can undergo repairs, modifications, changes of ownership or use, maintenance, breakdowns and crashes between their initial registration and their eventual end of life or export.
In this context, periodic vehicle inspection provides an essential mechanism for verifying that vehicles continue to meet appropriate safety and environmental requirements while in use. The presentation highlighted evidence from several countries illustrating the contribution of vehicle inspection to road safety and environmental protection, including studies from Costa Rica, Türkiye, Spain, the United States and Slovakia.
A central message of CITA’s contribution was the importance of reliable data for understanding the role of vehicle condition in road crashes. As Fernández stressed, the quality of the information available from crash investigations directly influences the conclusions that can be drawn and, consequently, the policy decisions that follow.
The presentation referred to research showing significant differences between standard and in-depth collision investigations. According to a TRL study cited by CITA, a standard collision investigation carried out by a trained police officer would identify around half of the vehicle defects categorized as dangerous, while an in-depth investigation by an expert collision investigator could identify 88% of such defects, provided they were not hidden by collision damage.
Further evidence presented for Germany illustrated the same challenge: regular crash analysis identifies vehicle technical defects in less than 0,8% of crashes, whereas in-depth crash analysis found that 6,41% of passenger cars with crash-relevant technical defects were involved in serious crashes.
CITA’s participation in the event reinforced the importance of integrating vehicle roadworthiness and robust data analysis into the broader Safe System approach.
Reliable information on vehicle condition is essential not only to understand crash causation more accurately, but also to support evidence-based decisions on vehicle inspection policies and contribute to safer and more sustainable mobility.
On Thursday, 10 September 2026, CITA had the pleasure of joining VTEQ’s 25th Anniversary celebration at the Frankfurt Marriott Hotel.
Organised on the occasion of Automechanika Frankfurt 2026, the event marked an important milestone for VTEQ, celebrating 25 years of innovation, collaboration and shared success within the vehicle inspection sector.
Taking advantage of CITA’s participation in Automechanika Frankfurt during the same week, CITA was represented at the anniversary celebration by Alejandro Checa, its Technical Director.
The evening provided an excellent opportunity to meet with VTEQ representatives and other professionals from the sector in a relaxed setting, strengthening relationships and exchanging perspectives with members of the international vehicle inspection community.
CITA warmly congratulates VTEQ on its 25th anniversary and wishes the company continued success for the years ahead.
On 9 September 2026, CITA hosted the webinar “New Evidence on the Life-Saving Value of PTI”, bringing together new empirical evidence on the contribution of PTI to road safety and its economic value.
The webinar was opened by Gerhard Müller, CITA President, and moderated by Richard Goebelt, Chairperson of CITA Topic Area C “External Affairs”. The two main presentations were delivered by Prof. Dr. Lars Hannawald, Managing Director at AFUS, who presented the key findings on the relationship between vehicle condition, inspection intervals and road safety, and Prof. Dr. Wolfgang H. Schulz, Professor of Economics, Mobility, Trade & Logistics at Zeppelin University, who presented the economic impact and cost-benefit assessment.
Technical defects increase significantly with vehicle age
Prof. Hannawald presented the results of a comprehensive study examining the actual technical condition of vehicles in road traffic, the role of technical defects in accidents and the potential of different PTI intervals to reduce accidents through 2035.
One of the study’s key strengths is its empirical approach. The assessment of vehicles in actual road traffic conditions covered 11,604 passenger cars, with their condition recorded before repairs and maintenance carried out in preparation for an upcoming PTI. The analysis showed a clear relationship between vehicle age and technical condition: the technical defect rate increased substantially as vehicles became older.
The results also highlighted the important preventive effect associated with PTI. Comparing vehicles in road traffic before PTI-related repair and maintenance with vehicles presented for inspection showed considerably higher defect rates in the former group. This indicates that the inspection cycle also encourages vehicle owners to identify and address defects before presenting their vehicles for PTI.
Technical defects are more relevant to accidents than official statistics suggest
A second part of the research analysed 2,429 passenger cars involved in traffic accidents, drawing on the DEKRA defect database. In these cases, accident experts assessed technical defects and classified them as contributing, possibly causal or causal to the accident.
The results are particularly significant: accident-relevant technical defects were identified in 6.4% of the analysed cases, ranking fifth among the causes of accidents documented by the police.
During the discussion, Prof. Hannawald explained why this figure differs considerably from police accident statistics. Police officers at an accident scene can generally identify only readily observable defects, whereas specialised accident reconstruction experts systematically investigate technically possible defects and assess their potential influence on the accident. This more detailed investigation provides a substantially broader picture of the role played by vehicle defects.
Shorter inspection intervals can reduce accident risk
The study also modelled the potential impact of changing PTI intervals. Using vehicle-age-related defect rates together with different scenarios for the development of the vehicle fleet, the researchers assessed the potential reduction in road traffic accidents through 2035.
For example, introducing annual PTI from the age of ten resulted in a modelled reduction potential for road traffic accidents with injuries in Germany ranging from 1.4% to 6.3% in 2035, depending on the fleet-development scenario considered.
These findings underline that inspection frequency becomes increasingly relevant as vehicles age and their probability of developing safety-relevant technical defects rises.
Road safety benefits also make economic sense
Prof. Wolfgang H. Schulz then presented an economic assessment building on the empirical findings of the Dresden research. The analysis examined a specific policy scenario: moving passenger cars aged ten years and above in Germany from biennial to annual technical inspection, assessing its costs and social benefits over the period 2024 – 2035.
The results showed a clear positive economic outcome. The headline analysis calculated a benefit-cost ratio of 1.86, with estimated benefits of EUR 22.6 billion, costs of EUR 12.2 billion, and consequently a net social benefit of approximately EUR 10.4 billion over the evaluation period. In other words, according to the study, every euro spent on the additional inspections generates almost EUR 1.9 in avoided social accident costs.
The economic analysis therefore complements the road safety findings: reducing the prevalence of technical defects through more frequent inspection of older vehicles can generate benefits that exceed the additional resources required for inspection.
At the same time, the economic assessment stressed that its conclusions should be interpreted within their defined scope. It supports a differentiated approach for older vehicle cohorts in countries with ageing fleets and established inspection infrastructures, rather than automatically supporting a uniform tightening of inspection requirements across all EU Member States.
Closing the webinar, CITA President Gerhard Müller highlighted three central messages emerging from the presentations: technical defects play a relevant role in accidents; PTI contributes to reducing the number of vehicles circulating with major defects; and the economic analysis demonstrates that PTI delivers benefits to society that exceed its costs.
The webinar therefore provided new empirical evidence supporting the role of PTI as an important road safety instrument. As Prof. Hannawald emphasised at the end of the discussion, future debates should be based on the right numbers and on a clear understanding of what the available evidence actually measures.
For CITA, these findings reinforce the importance of maintaining an evidence-based discussion on the future of vehicle roadworthiness inspection, particularly as vehicle fleets age and policymakers consider the appropriate balance between road safety, inspection requirements and costs to vehicle owners.
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