Roadworthy tests could not be missing from the list of conferences held at Futurmotive 2023. During the two sessions dedicated to this topic, all news concerning Italy as well as international trends were addressed. In the first session, Emanuele Biagetti (Egaf) clearly illustrated the latest developments: this concerns the authorisation for private heavy-duty vehicle inspection centres and inspectors. The latest decrees have shed some light on the implementation of Article 80 paragraph 8 of the Highway Code: private centres may be authorised to inspect heavy-duty vehicles over 3.5 tonnes and their trailers, excluding Adr, Atp and special purpose vehicles, provided they meet the requirements described within the article itself. And here is where the real news lies: the requirements, unlike the previous statements that many considered exaggerated and impossible to apply, have been significantly updated; first and foremost, the minimum area dedicated to inspections was reduced from the 600 square metres previously stipulated to 250.
Another “adjustment” looks at the implementation of the '870 Test Centres' with the definition of a transitional period for these centres to be equated with newly established centres. Another step forward is the complete authorisation process for roadworthy inspectors: they will continue to operate as subordinates on car/motorcycle inspections while they will be independent, assigned by the provincial MoT office, for truck inspections. It should be noted that the new decrees also define rules whereby both inspection centres and inspectors can also obtain mixed authorisations for both light and heavy commercial vehicles.
In conclusion, it seems that the matter has now been clarified; the only point left out, far from insignificant, is tariffs. To date, it is still not known how much to charge truckers and fleets. Why? Are we moving towards a deregulation of tariffs as the competition authority has repeatedly advocated? This remains to be seen.
The second session of the meeting, on the other hand, developed a more far-reaching topic: what will the future bring. It consisted of a panel discussion of specialists from four companies, Mahle, Nexion, Snap On and Texa, who illustrated what, in their view, is the future of roadworthy inspections. ADAS devices and electric motors, which are the biggest drivers behind the current technological development, are already found on a significant share of motor vehicles. Likewise, the growth of shared mobility induces new maintenance behaviour so that vehicles are always roadworthy. In such a scenario, it could be argued that because motor vehicles are so well-developed and well maintained, mandatory periodic inspections will eventually become redundant.
Is that so? Not quite, according to what the legislative authorities and inspection specialists are writing. In Europe, the Commission has published a working paper on the need to update inspections. Roadworthy professionals, represented by the International Committee Cita, in turn raise concerns about how new technologies pose new threats to road safety. Even if we move towards mass electrification, emission tests will not disappear immediately, but rather will need to be updated to modern standards. On the other hand, Adas certainly make our vehicles safer but only if they behave as they were designed to: what happens if the brakes are worn, the suspension loose, the tyres worn? In conclusion, progress is welcome, but only if it includes the industry as a whole as the only guarantee for the protection of road safety and the health of citizens.
The future of roadworthy tests
