Autotest Group EOODis a leader in Bulgaria's automotive inspection industry, dedicated to high standards of vehicle safety and compliance. Annually, they conduct nearly 200,000 technical inspections and are recognized for their meticulous checks on vehicle components and documentation to ensure legal compliance. They operate 18 centers nationwide, featuring online booking and extended hours for customer convenience.
Their commitment to using advanced technology enhances the effectiveness of their inspections. Autotest Group aims to promote road safety and participates in global networks like CITA to stay at the forefront of the industry.
On May 30, 2024, the "Mobility in Slovakia" conference brought together key stakeholders in the field of vehicle testing, approval, and inspection. This significant event, organized by TÜV SÜD in collaboration with the Ministry of Transport of the Slovak Republic, featured active participation from CITA, as well as representatives from Homola, TESTEK, S-EKA, and IRIS-IDENT.
The conference aimed to address the challenges and advancements in vehicle inspection and approval processes, attracting the attention of professionals and organizations deeply involved in this critical field.
CITA President Mr. Gerhard Müller delivered a compelling keynote, emphasizing the importance of vehicle inspection in achieving the ambitious goals of Vision Zero and the European Green Deal. Mr. Müller highlighted how these EU strategies will influence future trends in the automotive industry, stressing that rigorous vehicle inspections are essential to ensuring safety and environmental sustainability.
CITA's active participation extended beyond the keynote, with a detailed presentation by Mr. Eduard Fernández - CITA Executive Director, who discussed the evolving landscape of vehicle inspections and the regulatory changes on the horizon.
The conference agenda included a series of insightful lectures covering a wide range of pertinent topics. Experts discussed cybersecurity in the automotive sector, a critical area as vehicles become increasingly connected and digitalized. The upcoming changes to the Directive on technical inspection of vehicles and the EURO 7 emission standard were also thoroughly examined, providing attendees with valuable insights into future regulatory requirements.
The "Mobility in Slovakia" conference underscored the critical role of PTI in achieving safer roads and a cleaner environment. As the automotive industry continues to evolve, such events are essential for fostering collaboration and innovation to meet the challenges of the future.
Designed as a hybrid event, the 23rd CITA General Assembly, was held on May 16, 2024, at the SPARKS Event Center in Brussels, Belgium.
The assembly was opened by CITA President Mr. Müller, who warmly welcomed the members. The presence of voting members was confirmed, setting the stage for a day of robust discussions and strategic decisions. The provisional agenda was adopted smoothly, followed by the approval of the 22nd GA report, which highlighted last year’s achievements and set the groundwork for this year's agenda.
One of the key points of the assembly was the discussion of the 2023 accounts, which provided a transparent overview of CITA's financial health and paved the way for future initiatives. New members were welcomed into the fold through the voting process, signifying CITA's growing influence and reach.
The assembly featured detailed reports from the various Regional Advisory Groups (RAGs), including Africa, Asia/Austral Asia, Latin America, North America, and Europe. These reports emphasized localized challenges and successes, providing a comprehensive global perspective on vehicle compliance issues. Then discussions were segmented into the different CITA Topic Areas (TAs), focusing on the core issues and future directions of vehicle compliance.
The budget for 2024-2025 was approved, alongside modifications to the Articles of Incorporation, which were critically reviewed and voted upon.
Elections were held for key positions within the Bureau Permanent and among Corporate Members' Representatives, ensuring that CITA's leadership remains dynamic and representative of its diverse membership base.
At the assembly's conclusion, members celebrated Henk Bussink's distinguished career and his retirement after years of dedicated service to CITA and its Bureau Permanent. President Müller presented him with a token of appreciation for his invaluable contributions. Mr. Müller's closing remarks highlighted the assembly's productivity and expressed optimism for the future.
The day concluded with a dinner gathering, providing a perfect opportunity for members to network, discuss the day’s outcomes, and forge new collaborations.
The European Union has enacted Regulation (EU) 2024/1257, a legislative measure aimed at improving the environmental standards for motor vehicles within the member states. This regulation introduces stringent type-approval requirements for motor vehicles and their engines, focusing specifically on emissions and battery durability. The legislation is a part of the broader EU Green Deal initiative, which seeks a climate-neutral, clean, and circular economy by 2050.
Key Points:
Zero Pollution Goal: By 2030, the regulation supports the EU's objective to achieve zero pollution, enhancing air, water, and soil quality by minimizing harmful emissions from vehicles.
Unified Standards: The new regulation consolidates and repeals several older regulations to create a uniform system for emission type-approvals for both light-duty and heavy-duty vehicles across the EU.
Advanced Technology Integration: The legislation encourages the integration of advanced technologies in vehicles, such as on-board monitoring systems and improved battery performance metrics, to ensure compliance with emissions and durability standards throughout a vehicle's operational life.
Social and Economic Considerations: The regulation also addresses the socio-economic impacts of transitioning to cleaner mobility, emphasizing affordability, the preservation of industry competitiveness, job creation, and workforce skills development.
Market Surveillance and Compliance: Enhanced market surveillance mechanisms are put in place to ensure strict compliance with the regulation, incorporating substantial penalties for non-compliance.
Future Adaptations: The document allows for future amendments to incorporate advances in vehicle technology and emissions science, ensuring the regulation remains relevant and effective.
Automotive Manufacturers: Required to adapt their production lines to meet stricter emissions and battery durability standards.
EU Member States: Must update national regulations and enforcement practices to align with EU standards.
Consumers: Will see a market shift towards more durable and environmentally friendly vehicles.
Regulation (EU) 2024/1257 represents a step forward in the EU's commitment to environmental sustainability and public health protection. It sets a framework for reducing vehicle emissions and enhancing battery durability, aligning with global environmental goals and technological advancements.
Title: Regulation (EU) 2024/1257
Adopted by: European Parliament and Council
Date of Adoption: 24 April 2024
Implementation Date: 8 May 2024
Relevance: Applicable throughout the European Economic Area (EEA)
The partnership between CITA and VERT® (Verification of Emissions Reduction Technologies) is a strategic alignment of missions that amplifies the efforts to combat environmental and health impacts caused by vehicle emissions.
VERT®, in fact, dedicates itself to promoting the best available technology for emission control, particularly technologies that mitigate ultrafine particle emissions. These particles are known for their significant health hazards and environmental impact, contributing to global warming and respiratory issues.
It sets itself apart by advocating for advanced emission measurement technologies—shifting from traditional particle mass count to particle number measurement. This approach acknowledges the disproportionate impact of ultrafine particles, despite their minimal mass, on health. VERT®'s rigorous standards and certification processes, including the VERT® Label and the VERT® filter list, ensure that only the highest quality emission control technologies are recognized and promoted.
This partnership not only supports traffic pollution reduction programs worldwide but also promotes clean urban mobility solutions.
China Certification & Inspection Group (CCIC), established in 1980, is a state-owned enterprise managed by China's State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission. As the only independent third-party organization among central enterprises, CCIC specializes in inspection, testing, certification, standards, and metrology. It plays a critical role in enhancing service quality and technological breakthroughs across various industries. With over 40 years of growth, CCIC has expanded to nearly 20,000 employees, over 400 branches, and 500 laboratories globally. It provides comprehensive quality services to over 100,000 customers worldwide in sectors like agriculture, industry, and services, maintaining a leading position in formulating international and national standards. CCIC is also active in international standardization organizations, promoting Chinese standards globally.
SNAP NTis an Italian manufacturer of PTI equipment for vehicle inspection lines, with particular attention to innovation, performance and reliability. SNAP NT has two seats in Italy, each with its own production site in Giarre (CT) and Campi di Bisenzio (FI), and internally manages all the design, development and production phases, both of the inspection equipment and the management software and operational. Thanks to the specific skills in the mechatronics and IT fields, gained with our extensive experience on PTI equipment, SNAPNT aims to contribute to CITA's activities and to the development of best practices.
From April 10 to 12, 2024, El Salvador hosted the significant Foro Internacional de Seguridad Vial Infantil (FISEVI 2024), organized by the Gonzalo Rodríguez Foundation and the Government of El Salvador. This forum has become a cornerstone event for discussing and advancing road safety in Latin America, especially focusing on children.
One of the contributions to the forum was from Mr. Marcelo Martínez, Chairperson of the CITA Regional Advisory Group (RAG) for Latin America. Representing CITA, Martínez took a prominent role in the panel “Fiscalización y Control,” where he detailed various models of Periodic Technical Inspection (PTI) systems. His discussion centered around CITA Recommendation 20, exploring its adaptation to the realities of Latin American countries to ensure compliance with technical vehicle inspections.
The panel also featured significant figures such as Alfredo Alvayero, General Director of Transit of El Salvador, and Juan José Olaizola, Vice Minister of Transportation of Uruguay, who shared insights into their countries' efforts towards enhancing road safety. The collaborative efforts highlighted the importance of integrating technology with skilled personnel training to enhance traffic enforcement effectiveness.
Diego Coiro of CIEMSA highlighted the need to tailor road safety strategies to the specific conditions of each territory, emphasizing the importance of sharing and exchanging experiences across borders. Meanwhile, Juan José Olaizola discussed Uruguay's practical application of surveillance tools, demonstrating significant improvements in road safety metrics following the implementation of new technologies, such as extensive radar systems.
Alfredo Alvayero spoke about El Salvador’s holistic approach to road safety, which includes intense public awareness and regulation of driving schools and instructor certification processes as part of a broader national road safety plan.
The forum was enriched with educational sessions led by experts like Fred Wegman, Emeritus Professor at Delft University, who moderated discussions on the need for visibility in law enforcement and the use of automated enforcement technologies. Panels also discussed the integration of various road safety components, such as vehicle safety standards, infrastructure improvements, and legislative measures.
The event concluded with a declaration of commitment to the goals of the UN’s Global Road Safety Plan and the Stockholm Declaration, aiming to reduce road traffic deaths and injuries by 50% by 2030. The declaration emphasized the need for strong political leadership and international cooperation to protect children on the roads.
Founded in 1992, today TEXA is a leader in the design, industrialization and production of diagnostic tools, tele-diagnostic devices, A/C service stations, exhaust gas analyzers, dedicated to cars, bikes, trucks, agricultural vehicles, and marine engines.
The last frontier is the production of sophisticated Powertrain systems for electric vehicles. Present all over the world with a widespread net of distributors, TEXA commercializes directly in Brazil, France, Germany, Japan, the UK, Poland, Russia, Spain, and the United States through its subsidiaries.
Currently it has almost 1,000 employees: the workforce is young, with over 300 engineers and specialized technicians dedicated to Research and Development.
Certifix is a vehicle inspection company accredited under the ISO 17020 standards and entitled to carry out the remote inspection of any vehicle registered in Spain that undergoes any type of modification.
What sets Certifix apart is not just their accreditation, but also their forward-thinking approach to vehicle inspections. It leverage the latest in digitalization, integrating advanced AI and image recognition technologies to streamline processes like never before. Their commitment to utilizing big data and automating daily activities distinguishes them from the competition, ensuring accuracy, efficiency, and unparalleled service quality.
They have major companies amongst their clients and more than 12000 inspections carried out annually.
As we step into 2024, their vision is clear – to enhance and broaden the scope of our services further. Their goal is to influence the evolution of vehicle inspection techniques, making our roads safer and more eco-friendly. With the rapid advancements in technology reshaping various sectors, Certifix is at the forefront, embracing these changes to foster a safer, more sustainable future for road travel.
