The trusted voice of the auto industry for more than 25 years www.autofile.co.nz
Issue 19-2015 21 October 2015
Association welcomes review of certification A
report into the review of New Zealand’s low-volume vehicle (LVV) certification system is expected to be released next month. The investigation has been initiated by the NZTA and undertaken by Standards NZ. Craig Foss, the Associate Minister for Transport, has welcomed the review for vehicles built from scratch or modified for specialised purposes. “The LVV certification process is about ensuring these vehicles are safe to be on the road,” he says. The review started in July with a scoping phase. This involved
working with the automotive industry, certifiers and others to better understand the strengths of the current system and potential improvements. “Standards NZ brings an independent perspective to this review,” adds Foss, who is pleased it has sought feedback from a wide range of people. “I’m keen to ensure our LVV certification system enables innovators to utilise new technologies and create opportunities.” The government requires all vehicles to meet safety
requirements. Once one is modified from its original state or scratchbuilt, there needs to be a method of ensuring continued compliance. The LVV system aims to ensure all modified production vehicles – whether altered for commercial, passenger, disability, recreational, leisure, sporting or compliance purposes – and those that are scratch-built are safe to be on the road. They also need to comply as closely as practicable with legal safety requirements applicable to mass-produced vehicles. The process is overseen by the
In this issue p11 Latest on bids for MTF p12 Developments with ITS p15 Evolution of technology p16 Nelson under spotlight p18 First woman for series p19 Top two utes do battle
We add value to your business
People • Products • Training
[continued on page 4]
Emissions cheating recalls increase Plugged in for
V
olkswagen New Zealand has confirmed about 1,000 more of its vehicles on Kiwi roads are affected by the global diesel-engine emissions scandal. It says seven per cent of around 75,000 units in this country are now caught up in the “software discrepancy”. Autofile previously reported 4,639 units fitted with 1.6 and two-litre
four-cylinder TDi powerplants were known to be affected by October 7. In an update issued on October 12, Volkswagen NZ confirms the total number of vehicles, which will have to be recalled for remedial action, now stands at 5,548. It says the software in question “causes discrepancies in values for oxides of nitrogen [NOx] during emission testing in
their type EA189 engines”. The affected models have been fitted with so-called defeat devices with about 11 million units affected worldwide. “The operation of affected vehicles is not impaired and they can be used as usual without restrictions,” says Tom Ruddenklau, general manager of Volkswagen NZ. [continued on page 8]
three modes
p14