Automotive
directive 95/54/EC
Scope Any
vehicle intended for use on the road, being complete and having 4
wheels.
The scope also
includes all electrical and electronic equipment intended for fitment
to vehicles.
Both after
market and original equipment.
Exclusions Vehicles
which run on rails and all agricultural and forestry machinery.
Also
electronic equipment which is deemed not part of the vehicle
e.g. if a
compressor is plugged into the lighter socket to inflate the tyres
while the car is parked this is excluded.
Approval marks
The only mark for Europe is the ‘e’
mark this is where a item is solely placed on the market for use
with vehicles and cannot be used on it’s own.
In this case the item is taken
out of the EMCD 89/336/EEC and is covered under 95/54/EC.
Where the item
can be used either in a car or on it’s own it must still comply with
the EMCD and carry the CE mark.
Transition dates
Vehicles and products on the market prior to 1 January 1996 may
continue to be sold without having to meet 95/54/EC until 1 October
2002.
Aftermarket components such as electronic devices
have the option until 1 October 2002 of continuing to meet the
EMCD
89/336/EEC or of meeting the automotive directive 95/54/EC.
Market information
2 years ago MIRA opened a brand new EMC facility for component testing
in America
to help cope
with the increasing demands of component manufacturers who can’t find
test slots.
The facility
they have built has a 1m turntable which means it cannot do whole cars.
This means a
whole new facility has been invested in purely for electronic equipment.
They quote
meeting the requirements of Ford,GM and Chrysler’s as well as FCC
regulations.