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International Motor Vehicle Inspection Committee

Emissions
09Jul

New Version of CITA Recommendation. No. 3

CITA is pleased to announce the publication of the revised version of its Recommendation No. 3, now entitled "Relating to the Features of Measuring Instruments". This update replaces the original document, first adopted in December 1977, under the title "Relating to the Features of Measuring Apparatus".

The updated recommendation reflects significant developments in inspection technology and practice, aligning its content with current standards and regulations such as EU Directive 2014/45/EU, ISO 17020, and ISO 17025. It provides updated guidance on the design, installation, use, maintenance, and calibration of measuring instruments used in roadworthiness testing, ensuring reliable, safe, and consistent measurements across inspection centres.

This revision was carried out by the CITA Task Force "Quality", a group of members committed to reviewing and modernising long-standing CITA recommendations. Their efforts aim to ensure that all CITA documents remain relevant, technically accurate, and in line with the evolving needs of vehicle inspection systems worldwide.

We extend our gratitude to the Task Force members for their valuable contributions:

  • Kanvaly Bamba, SGS
  • Timo Kneuper, ÖAMTC
  • Andreas Klocke, QMEV (leader of this TF)
  • Jaroslav Olexa, TESTEK
  • Juan Portillo Rojano, TÜV SÜD ATISAE S.A.U.
  • François Togny, DEKRA
  • Jasper Vos, RDW

The revised Recommendation No. 3 highlights best practices for the proper use of measuring devices during inspections, reinforcing the role of accuracy, safety, and traceability in vehicle compliance assessments. It also provides clear guidance for both inspectors and inspection bodies regarding the responsibilities tied to equipment handling, training, and maintenance protocols.

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03Jul

CITA Rec. No. 27: “Electric Vehicles: Comprehensive Approach”

CITA is proud to announce the publication of its Recommendation No. 27: Electric Vehicles Inspection – A Comprehensive Approach, a milestone document providing an in-depth framework for the Periodic Technical Inspectionof electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs).

This document offers an urgently needed and harmonized response to the emerging safety, environmental, and operational challenges posed by EVs across their entire lifecycle.

Developed by the CITA Electric Vehicles Task Force, this paper outlines the technical characteristics that distinguish EVs—such as high-voltage components, battery systems, regenerative braking, and unique software elements—and presents a tailored methodology for their inspection.

It proposes:

  • New inspection categories specific to EVs
  • Detailed defect severity classifications
  • Practical test methods for assessing safety-critical systems (e.g., isolation resistance, AVAS functionality, equipotential bonding)
  • Forward-thinking recommendations on data access, software integrity checks, and battery health assessment

Crucially, Recommendation No. 27 emphasizes the need to prepare PTI regimes for aging EVs, ensuring these vehicles remain safe, reliable, and environmentally compliant as they move through second-hand markets and extended use cycles.

While existing EU and international frameworks—such as Directive 2014/45/EU and UNECE Regulation No. 100—provide a legal foundation for vehicle inspection and safety, they do not yet fully account for the specific risks and configurations of electric vehicles. This recommendation fills that gap with actionable technical guidance, and calls for:

  • Regulatory adaptations to support EV-specific inspections
  • Standardized access to diagnostic data, fault codes, and battery software
  • Greater harmonization in inspection procedures across Member States

Recommendation No. 27 is the product of extensive collaboration, research, and expertise from a wide range of CITA Members. We express our sincere appreciation to all colleagues of the Electric Vehicles Task Force for their valuable contributions:

  • Víctor Salvachúa – APPLUS+ (Task Force Leader)
  • Frederick Adler – TÜV NORD
  • Pascal Buekenhoudt – GOCA VLAANDEREN
  • Alejandro Checa – CITA
  • Visar Çekiçi – Albanian General Directorate of Road Transport
  • Luis Gallego – ITEVELESA
  • Manuel Hagemann – TÜV NORD
  • Leif Magne Halvorsen – NPRA
  • Nina Kornsteiner – AVL DiTEST
  • Dirk Meissner – FSD
  • Andreas Richter – DEKRA 
  • Jesus Raul Ramos – APPLUS+
  • Georges Petelet – CAPELEC
  • Tom Polman – RDW
  • Ralph Schröder – FSD
  • Frank Schouten – Midtronics

This recommendation reaffirms CITA’s commitment to supporting the safe, sustainable, and equitable evolution of mobility. As the EV fleet grows, so must our ability to inspect, maintain, and regulate these vehicles with rigor and consistency.

Recommendation No. 27 is a key step toward future-ready PTI systems that protect users, support innovation, and foster public trust in electric mobility.

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24Jun

ETSC Publishes its 19th PIN Report

Brussels, 24 June 2025 | The European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) has today published its 19th Annual Road Safety Performance Index (PIN) Report, revealing that despite some national successes, the European Union remains significantly off course to meet its 2030 target of halving road deaths and serious injuries.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reFu58WHMj0
Animated graph showing how road mortality has improved across EU between 2001 and 2024

The report highlights that road deaths across the EU27 fell by only 2% in 2024 compared to the previous year — far below the 6.1% annual reduction needed to stay on track. Since 2019, road deaths have declined by just 12%, against a necessary reduction of 27% by this stage.

Norway once again leads Europe in road safety outcomes, recording the continent’s lowest mortality rate at just 16 road deaths per million inhabitants. In recognition of this remarkable and sustained achievement, the ETSC has awarded Norway its prestigious 2025 Road Safety Performance Index (PIN) Award.

The award acknowledges Norway’s “Vision Zero” strategy, local safety innovations, youth-focused reforms, and legislative improvements such as mandatory fatal crash investigations and autopsies.

ETSC Executive Director Antonio Avenoso praised Norway’s commitment: “Norway continues to show what’s possible when a country commits to road safety at every level — from government strategy to local planning. Their results are no accident; they’re the product of clear targets, rigorous implementation, and national ambition.”

The 2025 PIN Report presents a stark contrast between leading countries and those still struggling. While Lithuania, Poland, and Slovenia achieved reductions in deaths above 30% since 2019, eight countries, including Switzerland and Estonia, saw increases in road deaths in 2024. Altogether, 20,017 people lost their lives on EU roads last year.

The ETSC estimates that while 23,800 lives have been saved in the EU since 2014, an additional 49,600 deaths could have been prevented if progress had matched the required pace — a missed opportunity valued at €124 billion in societal benefit.

CITA is proud to support the ETSC’s PIN programme. As a contributing partner, CITA shares ETSC’s commitment to evidence-based policymaking and the promotion of the Safe System approach to road safety.

ETSC, as the independent voice for road safety in Europe, calls on EU institutions and national governments to accelerate efforts through strategic investment, enhanced enforcement, and full implementation of safety performance indicators. The organisation reiterates that road deaths are preventable and that political will is key to achieving change.

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20Jun

CITA Webinar Presenting Global Insights on PTI Practices

On 19 June 2025, CITA held a highly anticipated, members-only webinar unveiling the results of its General Questionnaire on PTI Activities—the most extensive global survey ever conducted on Periodic Technical Inspection (PTI) practices.

Presented by Mr. Olivier Pletinckx, CITA Technical Manager and leader of this project, the session drew the attention of nearly 100 registered members from around the world. The webinar was moderated by Mr. Eduard Fernández, CITA Executive Director, who facilitated the event and guided an interactive discussion around the findings.

The 2024 questionnaire, relaunched to gather updated data across the CITA network, included 91 detailed questions covering a wide spectrum of topics - from organizational frameworks and inspector training to equipment calibration, emissions testing, and inspections of emerging vehicle technologies such as electric vehicles, ADAS, and autonomous systems. Thanks to an outstanding response rate - 66% participation from 35 out of 53 represented countries - CITA now holds the most comprehensive global dataset on PTI systems to date.

Key Highlights from the Webinar

  • Global Comparisons: Insightful comparisons of organizational models (public vs. private), PTI frequency, vehicle types inspected, re-test procedures, and supervision practices.
  • Technological Advancements: Data on how countries are adapting PTI to account for electric, hybrid, and autonomous vehicles. Notably, only 6% currently inspect autonomous vehicles, and 19% plan to make such inspections mandatory.
  • Inspector Training & Certification: A look at certification standards, ongoing evaluations, and the growing importance of continuous training.
  • Digitalization Trends: Over 70% of inspection reports are now delivered electronically, and 94% of results are fed into central vehicle registers.
  • Standardization Challenges: The discussion raised important questions on harmonizing PTI processes and ensuring a consistent approach to emerging technologies worldwide.

The webinar also provided a platform for open dialogue, encouraging questions and contributions from participants. This collaborative atmosphere allowed members to share their own national experiences, reinforcing CITA’s mission to support continuous improvement in vehicle inspection systems.

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13Jun

New Scientific Publication Highlights the Ongoing Threat of Excess Vehicle Emissions

CITA is pleased to announce the publication of the article “Excess Pollution from Vehicles - A Review and Outlook on Emission Controls, Testing, Malfunctions, Tampering, and Cheating” in the peer-reviewed journal Sustainability, published by MDPI.

This comprehensive review, co-authored by Mr. Pascal Buekenhoudt, CITA Vice President – Technical Affairs, appears as part of the Special Issue Optimising Air Quality and Health Benefits of Transport Decarbonisation and is available online.

The publication explores the enduring relevance of internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs) and their environmental impact, emphasizing that ICEVs will remain dominant in many global regions well beyond 2050. It highlights four critical issues hindering emission reduction goals:

  • Cheating by manufacturers (e.g., defeat devices)
  • Tampering by vehicle owners
  • Malfunctioning emission controls
  • Inadequate in-service emission testing programs

Drawing from 228 sources, the study stresses the importance of robust and modernized in-service testing (such as Periodic Test and Repair programs), targeted detection of high emitters, and the enforcement of regulations that minimize manipulation and ensure real-world compliance. Among its findings:

  • Emission control deactivation (especially in diesel vehicles) can increase pollutants by factors of 3 to 100.
  • A small percentage of vehicles causes a disproportionate amount of excess pollution.
  • Periodic Test and Repair (PTR) programs can reduce fleet-wide emissions by up to 15%, but effectiveness varies greatly depending on design and enforcement.

This article calls for updated regulatory approaches, better emission monitoring tools (e.g., remote sensing), and enhanced inspection protocols to prevent tampering and uphold air quality standards - aligning strongly with CITA’s mission to ensure road safety and environmental integrity through effective vehicle inspection systems.

Sustainability is an international, open-access journal published semimonthly by MDPI, a pioneer in scholarly publishing based in Switzerland.

For professionals, regulators, and stakeholders involved in emissions control and vehicle inspection, this publication offers valuable insights into future challenges and opportunities.

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20Jun

CITA Webinar “Validation of a Method to Test NOx Emissions”

The webinar, hosted by CITA and the Joint Research Centre (JRC), took place on June 19th on the CITA Zoom channel with over 80 participants. The discussion focused on the collaborative project between the two organizations, aimed at validating a new method for testing nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions during Periodic Technical Inspections (PTI) in the EU.

Mr. Jacopo Franzetti, Project Manager for Scientific Research at JRC – European Commission, and Mr. Max Holtermueller from DEKRA together with Mr. Thomas Ost, leader of the CITA Taskforce on Emissions, led the presentations. They highlighted the importance of NOx, its formation and reduction, and the scope, the method and results of the project.

Why Focus on NOx? Nitrogen oxides (NOx) are harmful pollutants with severe health impacts. NOx is a strong oxidizing agent that can cause respiratory issues, aggravate other pollutants' effects, and lead to diseases like asthma, bronchitis, and cardiovascular problems. A significant improvement in air quality in Europe has been noted, but NOx levels still exceed WHO guidelines, contributing to premature deaths. NOx primarily forms at high temperatures in the presence of sufficient oxygen, commonly occurring under high engine loads. This poses a challenge for PTI, as controlling these conditions during inspections is complex.

The Project. The JRC has developed a streamlined method for measuring NOx emissions during the PTI of modern Euro 6d diesel light-duty and Euro VI heavy-duty vehicles. This aims to identify malfunctions in Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) systems, crucial for reducing NOx emissions. The objective of the project was to validate a NOx monitoring method tailored for PTI in the EU, focusing on modern diesel vehicles under real-world conditions. Various CITA members participated, testing vehicles across different EU countries to account for diverse PTI systems.

The Results. 161 vehicles from various countries were tested, encompassing a wide range of mileages and ages. Key findings include:

  • Vehicle Age and Mileage:  A very wide range of vehicles were tested, with mileages ranging from 0 to 347.000 km.
  • NOx Emissions: Average NOx emissions were 26 ppm in the first 30 seconds, with significant variations among different participants and vehicle conditions.
  • Feedback: Participants rated the method's feasibility, integrability, and time effort on a scale from 1 to 5, with average scores indicating moderate satisfaction. Challenges included difficulty in warming up vehicles and software/hardware issues.

Conclusion. The validated method is suitable for modern diesel vehicles with SCR catalysts but not for those without. While the method is generally simple, integrating the warm-up process into PTI remains a challenge. Further optimization and precise specifications for the warm-up process are necessary. CITA's Task Force on Emissions is preparing a detailed report on the project's findings, expected to be published by August/September. Additionally, a survey on driving practices during PTI will be conducted between CITA members.

CITA remains committed to supporting the method's further development and implementation.

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