The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said on the 19th it will prepare dedicated vehicle inspection standards that reflect the characteristics of eco-friendly cars such as electric vehicles. As eco-friendly cars become more widespread, the government will separately establish an inspection system that accounts for different driving and key device characteristics from internal combustion engine vehicles, while also strengthening safety management for high-voltage electrical systems such as batteries. Until now, there were no separate standards, leading to questions at inspection stations about inspection accuracy.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will preannounce for legislation from the 20th to the 30th of next month a revision to the Motor Vehicle Management Act enforcement rules that includes these measures. After regulatory review and review by the Ministry of Government Legislation, it could take effect as early as this year.
Under the revision, internal combustion engine vehicles and eco-friendly cars will each be subject to inspection items and standards suited to their characteristics. Internal combustion engine vehicles will be inspected on 24 items, including engine, fuel system, driving, and braking systems, while eco-friendly cars will be inspected on 21 items, including high-voltage electrical systems, driving, and braking systems.
Inspections for high-voltage electrical systems, including batteries, will also be made more specific. The government clarified the scope of diagnostic information that automakers and others must provide, such as core diagnostic items like battery voltage and encrypted source code needed to produce inspection equipment. It will also move up the timing for providing that information to the Korea Transportation Safety Authority (TS) from within six months after first sales of a new car to 10 days before sales begin. Until now, when a manufacturer went out of business after a new model's release, diagnostic information was not provided in time, disrupting vehicle inspections.
It will also tighten inspection standards to prevent wheel-separation accidents. If an inspection confirms that a wheel nut or bolt has come off, the vehicle will be deemed noncompliant. Until now, only corrective recommendations were issued, which some said contributed to accidents. Noncompliant vehicles must undergo reinspection within 10 days after repairs, and failure to do so may result in administrative measures such as fines or an order to suspend operation.