A new European plan to make TÜV inspections annual
The European Commission is planning a major change to car inspection rules, aiming to impose an annual technical inspection for vehicles over ten years old. This proposal, which has not yet been approved, aims to enhance road safety in Europe. Currently, main inspections (Hauptuntersuchung – HU) in Germany are conducted every two years, but the new plan could require more than 23 million vehicles to undergo annual inspections.
The commission bases its proposal on data indicating that older cars are involved in a higher percentage of accidents. Although technical reasons account for only a small percentage of accident causes, the commission believes that annual inspections could help in early identification of potential risks, which could reduce the number of accident victims by up to one percent.
The plan targets private cars and small commercial vehicles that have been registered for more than ten years. In Germany alone, this applies to about half of drivers. However, the implementation of the proposal is still contingent on the approval of the European Parliament and the member states of the European Union, so it remains uncertain whether the annual inspection will become a reality.
On the other hand, the German automobile club ADAC opposes this proposal, considering that the current periods for technical inspections in Germany are strict enough, and sometimes even exceed European standards. It also pointed out that TÜV inspections have expanded in recent years to include electronic assistance systems and new emission measurements.
A study conducted by TU Dresden for ADAC confirmed that there is no significant impact on road safety due to the reduction of inspection periods. The study indicates that technical defects are rare in the German vehicle fleet and are rarely a direct cause of traffic accidents. Therefore, ADAC believes that there is no need to implement annual inspections for older cars.
If the new rule is approved, violators may face fines ranging from 15 euros to 75 euros, depending on the type of vehicle and the period during which the inspection was missed.