The Institute of Standards and Industrial Research of Iran has notified automakers that they need to implement nine suspended standards within the next three months.
In view of the obstacles created by sanctions, the Supreme Council of Standards had permitted the suspension of these standards in the fiscal 2024-25, the news portal of Donyaye Khodro reported.
Some of these standards are not considered mandatory in many developed countries, while some of the European standards adopted by ISIRI do not fall into the category of safety standards.
The improvement of car safety is a public demand emphasized by the government, the parliament and traffic police, especially in new or updated car platforms.
For instance, studies conducted in the European Union and the United States show GSI (Global Standards Initiative) and DRL (Daytime Running Lamp) standards are not included in safety standards.
In addition to these two, the TPMS (Tire-Pressure Monitoring System) standard is not categorized as vehicle safety standards, according to the World Health Organization classification, which is responsible for the investigation and analysis of deaths caused by vehicle safety deficiencies.
Domestic automakers have prepared an executive plan to equip vehicles with the ESC (Electronic Stability Control) system, which is one of the vehicle safety standards. However, due to the inherent complexity of the relevant standard and the time required to develop the system and calibrate the vehicles equipped with it, this program requires at least two years and advanced test centers.
Another noteworthy point about the ESC standard is that only 26 major car manufacturing countries have declared it mandatory and only 45% of the 57 million passenger cars produced in 2021 were equipped with this standard.
In none of the developed countries, which are not facing any sanctions, the equipment and requirement of all vehicles produced as per this standard are not mandatory.
Nevertheless, domestic automakers have asked ISIRI to extend the deadline required to implement these standards.
15 ISIRI Quality Directives
To improve the quality and safety features of domestic cars, the Institute of Standards and Industrial Research of Iran has obliged domestic automakers to follow 15 directives, according to Mehdi Eslampanah, the head of ISIRI.
In case of any discrepancy in the final product vis-à-vis standards, or noncompliance with ISIRI’s directives, automakers will be liable to pay criminal and legal fines.
According to the first directive of ISIRI, a car manufacturer needs to submit a declaration showing a vehicle’s conformity with the features declared by the automotive company to ISIRI at the time of seeking the production permit.
According to the second directive, if the interval between the production of a car and its supply to dealerships is more than two months, carmakers are obliged to inspect and verify the good condition of rubber, plastic and polymer parts, batteries, body dents and other components, the news portal of Donyaye Khodro reported.
The third directive states that automakers should notify ISIRI of any modifications that affect the compliance of the product with the relevant national standards.
According to the fourth directive, in case of non-fulfillment of obligations and any harm suffered by the people because of it at present or in future, manufacturers must pay compensation.
The fifth directive requires car manufacturers to control the production process and ensure the good quality of raw materials and the final product in accordance with related standards.
According to the sixth directive, automakers must strictly refrain from undertaking the presale and advertisement of cars before obtaining the oversight body’s approval.
The seventh directive mentions that automakers are allowed to conclude contracts and use certified inspection companies with the certification of the institute.
In the eighth directive, automakers are obliged to use a technological system with the ability to help track the product’s QR code for public monitoring and if any violation is reported, they are obliged to remove the discrepancy.
According to the ninth directive, automakers should procure the required parts and systems that comply with mandatory standards only from the holders of the standard license.
In the 10th directive, automakers are required to comply with technical standards in accordance with factory standards for other parts and systems that do not have a national standard and to maintain records of each part and submit them at the request of the institute.
According to the 11th directive, car manufacturers should implement corrective measures related to the elimination of recurring defects reported in periodic evaluations and prevent their presence in subsequent evaluations.
According to the 12th directive, car manufacturers are obliged to establish a quality management system and employ a quality control manager certified by ISIRI, in accordance with their production lines and shifts.
According to the 13th, 14th and 15th directives, they are responsible for establishing a quality management system, enforcing after-sales service standards and start implementing suspended standards.
