We just released our latest NewsRelease – November 2025, a comprehensive update capturing the association’s major activities, publications, and international initiatives from the second half of the year.
In his foreword, CITA President Gerhard Müller highlights a year marked by strong regional engagement, from RAG Conferences in Latin America and Africa to high-level dialogues in Europe on the revision of the EU Roadworthiness Package. He underscores the importance of modernizing PTI systems to address electric and automated vehicles, while ensuring citizens remain informed about the role of inspection in road safety and environmental protection.
Among the key features of this edition:
New CITA Recommendation No. 27 – “Electric Vehicles: A Comprehensive Approach”
Updated CITA Recommendation No. 3 – “Relating to the Features of Measuring Instruments”
CITA White Paper on Brakes Inspection
CITA’s position on the US–EU “Mutual Recognition” of Vehicle Standards
Highlights from the 2025 RAG Conferences, Topic Area meetings, and technical workshops
Events in Santo Domingo, Zanzibar, Brussels, Oslo, and Tokyo showcased CITA’s global collaboration and innovation leadership.
The publication also introduces new CITA members, announces upcoming events—including the RAG Europe Conference and General Assembly 2026.
Stone Town, Zanzibar – 4–5 November 2025. The CITA Regional Conference for Africa, themed “Time for Action – Because Africa Deserves Safe and Clean Vehicles,” successfully gathered a wide range of key stakeholders from across the continent and beyond. Held at the Golden Tulip Stone Town Boutique Hotel, the event provided a dynamic platform for dialogue, cooperation, and the exchange of expertise in the field of vehicle regulatory compliance, inspection, and road safety.
Over two days, representatives from governmental authorities, technical services, international organizations, academia, and the private sector came together to discuss the future of vehicle safety and environmental protection in Africa. The conference highlighted the urgent need for harmonized and effective vehicle regulatory schemes, addressing topics such as importation of used vehicles, vehicle inspection systems, homologation procedures, and operational best practices adapted to African realities.
The event was opened by CITA leaders, together with high-level representatives of regional authorities and international institutions. Their addresses emphasized that ensuring the circulation of safe and clean vehicles is not only a technical or economic issue, but also a social imperative for the well-being of African citizens and the sustainability of the environment.
Day 1 focused on strategic and thematic discussions. Participants heard high-level contributions from international organizations, followed by academic insights and practical experiences from African countries already implementing vehicle inspection and registration programs. The importation of used vehicles – a critical issue for the region – received particular attention, with lessons drawn from other parts of the world and successful case studies presented by African experts. The day concluded with an evening networking dinner, allowing participants to strengthen regional ties and foster future cooperation.
Day 2 was dedicated to practical and operational aspects. In the morning workshop, experts jointly identified the key elements needed to develop effective vehicle regulatory frameworks in Africa, emphasizing the importance of institutional capacity, data management, and transparent governance. In the afternoon, participants took part in a technical visit to the KWASILVA vehicle inspection site in Zanzibar, where they observed firsthand the operational practices and technologies used locally, and discussed how similar solutions could be adapted elsewhere on the continent.
The conference reaffirmed CITA’s commitment to supporting African countries in developing comprehensive systems for vehicle type approval, inspection, and registration that are efficient, transparent, and aligned with international standards. As one of the key takeaways, participants called for enhanced regional collaboration, sharing of technical expertise, and capacity building initiatives to ensure that Africa can move decisively towards a safer and cleaner vehicle fleet.
On 6 November. CITA President Gerhard Müller and Chair of RAG Africa, Ferose Oaten, had the honor of accepting an invitation from the President of Zanzibar following the CITA RAG Africa Conference held in Stone Town, Zanzibar. President Hussein Mwinyi expressed great interest in hearing their impressions of the ongoing PTI initiatives on the island. The CITA representatives commended the strong political commitment demonstrated in establishing periodic vehicle testing and praised the new Kwasilva Testing Station—an impressive facility that could serve as a model for the rest of Africa.
The success of the 2025 African Regional Conference in Zanzibar underlines that the time for action is now – because Africa truly deserves safe and clean vehicles.
On 24 October 2025, about 100 CITA members joined an online webinar dedicated to Recommendation No. 27: Electric Vehicles – A Comprehensive Approach, presented by Víctor Salvachúa Barceló (APPLUS+), leader of the CITA Task Force on Electric Vehicles. The session was moderated by Alejandro Checa, CITA Technical Director.
Following the release of the Recommendation earlier this year, this webinar offered participants the opportunity to explore its practical and regulatory implications in greater depth. Mr. Salvachúa guided attendees through the document’s structure, highlighting how the Task Force developed a comprehensive inspection framework for electric and hybrid vehicles.
The presentation focused on critical aspects of EV inspection, such as electrical safety, lifecycle considerations, equipotential bonding, insulation resistance measurement, and the integration of electronic diagnostics. It also emphasized the importance of data accessibility, standardized inspection points, and software integrity checks—all essential for ensuring the safe operation and sustainability of the growing EV fleet.
During the discussion, participants exchanged views on how these proposals could shape the future of Periodic Technical Inspection (PTI) and support the evolution of EU and international regulatory frameworks.
CITA warmly thanks all participants for their active engagement and contributions, and extends special appreciation to the EV Task Force for its ongoing efforts to enhance safety and consistency in vehicle inspection systems worldwide.
More than 100 participants gathered in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, for the CITA Regional Advisory Group (RAG) LATAM Conference 2025, held on 21–22 October at the Hotel Sheraton Santo Domingo.
Under the theme “Vehículos más limpios y seguros. Los retos de la revisión vehicular en Latinoamérica y el mundo” (Safer and cleaner vehicles. The challenges of periodic inspection in Latin America and the world), the two-day conference brought together regional authorities, technical experts, and CITA members to exchange knowledge and experiences on how to strengthen vehicle inspection systems across the region.
The event was officially opened by Marcelo Martínez, CITA Chairman for LATAM, together with Gerhard Müller, CITA President, and Milton Morrison, Executive Director of INTRANT, who welcomed participants and emphasized the importance of PTI as a foundation for road safety and environmental protection in Latin America.
Session 1 – PTI as a Tool for Road Safety Speakers including Eduard Fernández (CITA Executive Director), Wolfgang F. Schulz (Professor and Dean of Executive Studies), Guillermo Magaz (AECA-ITV), and Benoît Lefevre (Inter-American Development Bank) highlighted the essential role of Periodic Technical Inspection (PTI) in reducing accidents, improving vehicle safety, and supporting sustainability goals.
Session 2 – Dominican Republic: Present and Future Representatives from INTRANT and DGAPP presented the national vision and ongoing projects to modernize vehicle inspection in the Dominican Republic, underlining the country’s commitment to safer roads and lower emissions.
Session 3 – International Experiences in Vehicle Inspection Institutions from Mexico, Ecuador, and Chile shared successful regulatory and operational models. Presentations by Zirath Hernández, Fernando Amador, and Carlos Román showcased how diverse inspection frameworks can adapt to local realities while maintaining international quality standards.
Session 4 – PTI as a Regional Necessity Experts such as Wilhem Ponciano (CITA LATAM Consultant), María José Pessano (Fundación Gonzalo Rodríguez), and Karsten Kunckel (AAP – Asociación Automotriz del Perú) discussed the socio-economic benefits of PTI and the remaining challenges to ensure inspection coverage across all Latin American countries.
Session 5 – The Future of PTI: Vehicles, Infrastructure, Technology, and Software Speakers Edgard Zamora (Safer Journeys LATAM), Xavier Caparrós (CAPATEST), Pieter ter Berg (Pinja Group), and Charly Grondin (Muller Automotive) explored how digitalization, connectivity, and data analytics are transforming the way vehicles are tested and monitored.
Participants was then able to see a portable test lane from VTEQ.
In his closing remarks, CITA President Gerhard Müller reiterated CITA’s commitment to supporting its members in building robust, transparent, and future-oriented PTI systems in Latin America.
The CITA RAG LATAM Conference 2025 demonstrated once again that cooperation and knowledge exchange are key to achieving safer and cleaner mobility worldwide. With strong participation from governments, international organizations, and the private sector, the event reaffirmed Latin America’s vital role in shaping the future of vehicle inspection.
On the occasion of the 45th anniversary of the European Garage Equipment Association (EGEA), CITA was represented by its Technical Manager, Olivier Pletinckx, at a special event held in Paris.
The celebration took place during EQUIP AUTO Paris 2025, the international trade show for automotive professionals, held at the Palais des Expositions de Versailles from 14 to 18 October 2025. This milestone gathering brought together key stakeholders from across the automotive aftermarket and equipment sector.
During the event, Mr. Pletinckx met with Marcin Barankiewicz, Secretary General of EGEA and Corporate Member Representative in the CITA Bureau Permanent, as well as Leon Andriessen, President of EGEA. Discussions focused on the ongoing cooperation between CITA and EGEA, particularly on shared priorities such as vehicle safety, access to data, and the future of garage and inspection equipment.
CITA congratulates EGEA on its 45 years of commitment to supporting and advancing the European garage equipment industry.
On 15 October 2025, more than 150 CITA members joined an exclusive webinar titled “AI in Vehicle Inspection: Practical Use Cases,” co-hosted by CITA and its member Pinja. The session offered a deep dive into how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the vehicle inspection industry through concrete, real-world applications.
The webinar featured expert presentations from Pieter ter Berg (Vice President, Mobility & Inspection, Pinja) and Matti Rita-Kasari (Technology Lead, Pinja). Together, they provided a comprehensive overview of current AI technologies, explored their role in vehicle inspection workflows, and discussed what organizations should consider when starting their AI journey.
The speakers began by contextualizing the evolution of AI—from early rule-based systems to today’s large language and multimodal models—before turning to how these tools are already reshaping inspection operations.
Through 11 practical use cases, the presenters showcased how AI can:
Assist inspectors with automated pre-inspection reports, instant access to regulatory expertise, and hands-free fault documentation.
Enhance customer communication through chatbots, automated fault explanations, and feedback analysis.
Optimise operations with tools for anomaly detection, regulation monitoring, predictive shift planning, and dynamic pricing.
Each example was grounded in practical benefits such as improved efficiency, data-driven quality assurance, and enhanced customer experience, while also highlighting limitations and key implementation considerations—like data quality, system integration, and compliance with the upcoming EU AI Act.
As underlined during the session, AI is not replacing human expertise—it is a tool to support inspectors, optimise decision-making, and make inspection networks more efficient and responsive. Participants left with actionable insights and resources, including references to the MIT “State of AI in Business 2025” report and the EU AI Act Compliance Checker.
CITA warmly thanks Pinja and all participants for contributing to this highly successful event.
CITA held its Topic Area B and C hybrid meetings on 8 and 9 October 2025 in Oslo, Norway, kindly hosted by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration (NPRA) at their headquarters. The meetings brought together CITA members to exchange key developments related to vehicle compliance, roadworthiness, and external legislative affairs.
Topic Area B – Optimizing Current Vehicle Compliance / 8 October 2025 – 14:00 CEST
The TA B session focused on practical approaches to optimizing current vehicle compliance, with presentations and discussions covering a wide range of technical inspection issues:
NPRA provided an in-depth presentation on the results of their testing of electric vehicles in Norway, followed by an interactive discussion on challenges and best practices.
Representatives from Sweden shared their experience with PTI of motorcycles, highlighting lessons learned and operational insights.
CITA members participating at the UNECE working group presented updates beyond the 1997 Vienna Agreement, including the data required to inspect Electronic Control Safety Systems (ECSS).
Innovative methods for automated evaluation of brake tests within centralized PTI information systems were also showcased.
The meeting concluded with updates from several CITA Task Forces — including Roadworthiness Package, Brakes, and Lighting Devices & Reflectors — followed by a discussion on next steps.
Technical Visit / 9 October 2025 – 10:00 CEST | On the morning of the second day, participants took part in a live technical visit, during which NPRA carried out a real PTI inspection on an hybrid vehicle. This hands-on demonstration offered participants a concrete insight into Norwegian testing procedures, equipment, and inspection workflows for EVs, sparking valuable exchanges on practical implementation across different national contexts.
Topic Area C – External Affairs / 9 October 2025 – 14:00 CEST | The TA C session was dedicated to legislative and external developments relevant to the CITA community:
After a welcome by NPRA, the discussion focused on the EU Roadworthiness Package revision, with keynote contributions from ETSC, and Michael Wenzel (DEKRA), Chair of the CITA Task Force on the Roadworthiness Package. Participants exchanged views on the European Commission’s proposal, identifying key points and next steps in the legislative process.
Further agenda items addressed CITA’s legislative monitoring activities, the consequences of the EU–US Joint Statement on trade in the automotive sector, and an update on CITA’s position regarding access to vehicle data, presented by the CITA TF on Connected Vehicles.
The session concluded with a synthesis of take-aways and planned follow-up actions.
These hybrid meetings once again demonstrated the value of bringing together members from across regions to discuss technical inspection practices and policy frameworks, while reinforcing CITA’s active role in both operational excellence and legislative dialogue.
CITA warmly thanks NPRA for their hospitality and all participants for their contributions to the fruitful discussions.
Last week, CITA Executive Director Eduard Fernández visited Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to meet with CITA members and key stakeholders in the region.
During his visit, Mr Fernández held productive discussions with SASO, the competent authorities, and MASSAR, a CITA Golden Member and one of the major operators in the country.
The mission aimed to reinforce CITA’s engagement in the Middle East, focusing on issues of local interest and exploring ways to further support the development of vehicle inspection systems in the region. This visit is part of CITA’s broader strategy to strengthen regional collaboration and share best practices on vehicle safety, environmental protection, and compliance.
CITA extends its sincere thanks to MAHA for their valuable support in organizing the visit and facilitating meetings with local partners.
On 30 September and 01 October 2025, CITA members gathered in Brussels for a new round of Topic Area (TA) meetings, generously hosted by VIAS Institute at its headquarters (Haachtsesteenweg – Chaussée de Haecht 1405, 1130 Brussels). The programme included the meetings of TA A – R&D Vehicle Compliance, TA E – Quality, Training & Confidence, and TA D – Environmental Protection Systems, complemented by a technical visit to VIAS laboratories, a visit to a vehicle inspection centre, and a special invitation to DEKRA’s centenary celebration.
Topic Area A – R&D Vehicle Compliance / The meetings opened on 30 September with TA A. After words of welcome, participants received updates from the Secretariat and from VIAS, followed by a presentation on noise measurement of electric vehicles. The session continued with reports from the Task Forces on ADAS, Electric Vehicles, and Type Approval, before moving into discussions on recent regulatory updates and the RWP process across the European institutions.
Topic Area E – Quality, Training & Confidence / That same afternoon, TA E convened. VIAS presented its training programmes for operators, followed by a presentation from ENAC on the main changes in the ISO 17020 FDIS and the expected next steps. Bilprovning contributed insights on the impact of the revised ISO 17020 in Sweden, with emphasis on quality, training, and independence. Members then reviewed ongoing work from the Task Force on Quality and exchanged perspectives on future priorities.
DEKRA 100-Year Anniversary Event / On the evening of 30 September, DEKRA warmly welcomed all CITA participants to a memorable 100-year anniversary celebration at Autoworld Brussels. This special event was an opportunity to recognise a century of contributions to vehicle safety and inspection, while offering members a convivial networking setting.
Technical Visit to VIAS and Inspection Centre / The programme continued on 01 October with a technical visit opened by Karin Genoe, CEO of VIAS. Participants had the opportunity to explore several of VIAS’ highly specialised laboratories:
Lab ALC: verification and homologation of alcohol testers and locks
Lab ATP: control of refrigerated trucks for the international carriage of perishable foodstuffs
Lab CAM: calibration and checking of speed enforcement devices (radars, red-light cameras, average speed cams)
Lab CAS: testing of protective helmets (motorbike, bicycle, child helmets EN1080, and speed pedelec helmets)
Lab CAV: verification of devices used in vehicle inspection centres in Belgium
Lab MEC: approval and calibration of tachograph and speed limitation device tools
The visit concluded with a guided tour of the inspection centre in Haaren, giving members an overview of daily inspection practices.
Topic Area D – Environmental Protection Systems / In the afternoon of 01 October, TA D held its session. Presentations included verification of emission tests in Belgium, PN measurement verifications, and an overview of emission tester calibration in Germany. DEKRA and TÜV Süd shared first results from a field study on OBD use for motorcycles and presented investigations into engine and SCR warm-up phases. The meeting closed with an update from the Task Force Emissions, highlighting ongoing work on emissions-related contents in the RWP.
VIAS Symposium – “Safe Journeys” / The programme concluded on 02 October with the VIAS symposium “Safe Journeys”, where experts, policymakers, and stakeholders exchanged perspectives on mobility safety, inspection, and future challenges in road transport.
CITA warmly thanks VIAS for its excellent hospitality and organisation of these events. The meetings not only advanced the technical and regulatory discussions within the different Topic Areas but also offered members a unique opportunity to connect with VIAS’ laboratories and to celebrate DEKRA’s centenary together.
On 17–18 September 2025, Copenhagen hosted the 7th International PTI Workshop, jointly organized by the Danish Road Traffic Authority (Færdselsstyrelsen) and the Netherlands Vehicle Authority (RDW). The event began with a lively “Come Together” evening on 16 September, offering participants a chance to connect in an informal setting before two days of intensive discussions.
The workshop brought together regulators, technical experts, industry representatives, and inspection authorities from across Europe and beyond. The focus was on the future of PTI in light of fast-evolving technologies and new political priorities.
The agenda reflected the most pressing issues in the sector:
The forthcoming EU Roadworthiness Package and its legislative process.
Emissions testing, including NOx and PN measurement methods.
The roadworthiness of electric vehicles and enforcement challenges.
Access to vehicle data and the inspection of electronic safety systems.
Quality, supervision and the fight against fraud, with discussions on AI tools and automated evaluation.
CITA members played a central role throughout the programme:
Mr. Gerhard Müller, CITA President, delivered a keynote on “New technologies and the challenges for PTI”, underlining the crucial role of inspection in maintaining safety and trust in an era of automation and digitalization.
Mr. Pascal Buekenhoudt, CITA Vice-President Technical Affairs, chaired the workshops on emissions, leading discussions on NOx and PN testing.
Mr. Marian Rybiansky, members of the CITA Bureau Permanent, and Mr. Jaroslav Olexa, co leader of CITA Topic Area E, moderated and presented in the Quality and Supervision sessions, covering AI-driven supervision tools and automated brake test evaluation.
Ms. Lotte Dijkink, also member of the Bureau Permanent, contributed to the deep-dive session on the Roadworthiness Package.
Mr. Víctor Salvachúa, leader of the CITA Electric Vehicles Task Force, chaired the EV workshops, addressing the enforcement of electric vehicle inspections.
Mr. Fred Blüthner, leader of the CITA Vehicle Data and Connected Vehicles Task Force, participated in the workshop on data.
Their active involvement highlighted CITA’s leadership in shaping the inspection community’s response to current and future challenges.
Participants rotated through four dedicated workshop streams: Emissions, Electric Vehicles, Quality & Supervision, and Data. These sessions encouraged in-depth discussion and knowledge-sharing across different areas of expertise. One of the highlights was a live demonstration of plume chasing, showcasing innovative techniques for monitoring vehicle emissions in real time.
The final sessions explored societal and strategic aspects of PTI reforms, including roadside inspection findings and lessons from PTI reforms for older vehicles. The workshop concluded with summaries from all moderators and closing remarks by representatives of Færdselsstyrelsen and RDW.
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