According to TÜV, slightly more vehicles were on the road with “significant” or “dangerous” defects between July 2022 and the end of June 2023 than in the same period last year. Some cars even had to be shut down immediately.
Around one in five vehicles failed the general inspection between July 2022 and the end of June 2023. A good 20.5 percent of the cars examined had “significant” or “dangerous” defects during the period, as the TÜV association announced on Thursday. That was 0.3 percentage points more than in the same period last year.
The defects found in around 15,000 cars were so significant that they were classified as “unsafe for traffic” and immediately shut down, it was said. Around 10.2 million general inspections were evaluated.
Electric vehicles are also affected by defects. The focus was on the axle suspensions, which are exposed to greater stress due to the higher weight of the cars. The recovery of energy also influences the function of the brakes and can lead to restricted use. The Tüv therefore recommends regular, hard braking to prevent wear.
In view of the increasing electrification and digitalization of the vehicle fleet, the association is calling for further development of the general inspection. Above all, additional test points are needed. “The testing organizations need better access to safety-relevant vehicle data in order to be able to check the condition of the battery and other components,” it said.
Press release Tüv
Source: Stern
