Vehicle Type Approvals (VTAs)
A Vehicle Type Approval (VTA) is an approval granted under the Road Vehicle Standards Act 2018 which enables a manufacturer to supply vehicles intended for road use to the Australian market in unlimited quantity.
What are Vehicle Type Approvals (VTAs)?
A Vehicle Type Approval holder grants a manufacturer provision to supply new vehicles to the Australian market. It is an approval pathway under the RVS legislation and replaces the Identification Plate Approval (IPA) pathway under the superseded Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989.
Vehicle Type Approvals are applicable for a range of road vehicles, including passenger vehicles, other motor vehicles such as goods vehicles and buses, along with light and heavy trailers. A Vehicle Type Approval is required to supply any road vehicle to the Australian Market in significant quantity.
A Vehicle Type Approval is also required for any manufacturer looking to modify a vehicle prior to being supplied to market for the first time. An approval for this is known as Second Stage of Manufacture (SSM), where the modifiers approval includes evidence of all changes to the first-stage manufacturer's specifications.
Understanding VTA Requirements
For manufacturers to be granted with and hold a Vehicle Type Approval, they must meet the following type approval framework:
Evidence of Compliance
All vehicle type approval holders must be able to demonstrate that their vehicles will comply with all applicable Australian Design Rules (ADRs), unless any special circumstances exist which may exempt the vehicles from complying with an ADR requirement or a non compliance is considered minor and inconsequential. Typically all vehicles approved under the RVS legislation will comply with all ADRs.
Each type of vehicle has different ADRs that it needs to comply with; for example passenger vehicles need to comply with occupant safety requirements that heavy motor vehicles do not need to comply with.
Compliance with each of the Australian Design Rules can be demonstrated in a number of ways:
Component Type Approval (CTA) - components supplied with a CTA number have certification for any ADRs listed as part of the approval, provided that all installation instructions are followed.
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) approval - an approval granted to the EU type approval requirements which are an alternative standard to many of the ADRs present, such as lighting. To use this evidence, a certificate of compliance is required showing the EU member state the component is complied to, the revision number of the standard and its serial number. As per the ROVER guidance documentation, simply having the approval number only is not sufficient.
ADR testing results - test results compiled by a test facility registered under the RVS legislation with a Test Facility Approval (TFA) number
Information supporting a declaration or thing covered by a road vehicle standard - this includes any documentation such as technical drawings, calculations, reports etc which may be used to demonstrate compliance with a particular ADR.
Quality Management System (QMS)
All approval holders must have a Quality Management System in place to ensure that they have appropriate measures in place to demonstrate control over all aspects of the supply of vehicles to the Australian market for the first time. An ISO9001 approved QMS for vehicle manufacturing is recognised under the RVS legislation but is not mandatory. More information on requirements of a QMS can be found here.
Approval in the ROVER System
Once ADR evidence is generated and a QMS is present a manufacturer must submit an application for a Vehicle Type Approval in the ROVER system. For all type approval holders except for light trailers, evidence must be uploaded for each ADR during the application. Light trailer approval applications include a declaration that all ADR evidence is held by the applicant. Other details must also be provided, such as the location(s) of the facilities for design and production of the road vehicles.
After submitting an approval, the ROVER assessment team will review the application and may come back with Requests for Information (RFIs) to clarify any part of the application they would like further information on. Upon satisfying all of the requirements, a Vehicle Type Approval is granted which can be searched for publicly on an online database present on the ROVER website.
I Have a Vehicle Type Approval, What Next?
Simply having a Vehicle Type Approval does not automatically make vehicles eligible for registration. A few additional steps are required first.
Getting VINs
A Vehicle Type Approval does not come with access to VINs for each vehicle. For Australian-based manufacturers without access to VINs, they should apply to NEVDIS to obtain a World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) after which they can arrange for a VIN decode and finally generate individual VINs to submit to NEVDIS prior to registration. More information can be found on NEVDIS' page here. BTT Engineering is an accredited VIN submitter and can assist with submitting VINs.
The Register of Approved Vehicles (RAV)
The RAV is essentially a digital compliance plate which manufacturers must complete for each individual vehicle. Only vehicles approved on the RAV with a VIN are eligible for unrestricted registration.
Ongoing Requirements for Vehicle Type Approval Holders
Once a Vehicle Type Approval is granted, approval holders are responsible to ensure they continue to comply with the evidence supplied and conditions of their approval. If any design changes occur, a new variant is desired or a supplier changes the components they are able to supply, an application for a variation is required in the ROVER system. While the variation application is being processed, only evidence approved through previous applications can be used when supplying a road vehicle. Once the variation is approved, any new compliance evidence approved through the variation can be used. An example of this:
ABC Cars is a supplier of passenger vehicles with a Vehicle Type Approval
As part of their Vehicle Type Approval, they include evidence of a headlight supplied by DEF Lights
ABC Cars would now like to have the option to use a headlight from XYZ Lights. They need to submit a variation of their Vehicle Type Approval.
A variation is submitted adding the evidence showing the XYZ Lights headlamp is compliant.
While the variation is processed, only the light from DEF Lights can be used on motor vehicles supplied under their VTA
Once the variation is approved, either of the components can be used in their compliant configurations.
Our Vehicle Type Approval Services
BTT Engineering is capable of assisting with Vehicle Type Approvals for any type of road vehicles, including imported or locally manufactured
Buses
Passenger vehicles
Goods vehicles
Light trailers
Heavy trailers
Second Stage of Manufacture modifications
As part of our service for Vehicle Type Approval holders, BTT Engineering can help with preparing or generating any evidence required, including any of
Type approval testing (under our TFA)
Liaising with CTA and ECE approval holders
Engineering drawings and calculations
Compliance assessments against ADRs
Quality Management System assistance
VIN and RAV submissions
Benefits of VTAs
A manufacturer of a motor vehicle must have a vehicle type approval to supply a new motor vehicle of any kind to the Australian market for the first time. Without an approval these vehicles cannot be registered in Australia.
A manufacturer looking to manufacture more than 4 light or 4 heavy trailers in a 12 month rolling period must have a Vehicle Type Approval to do so. Manufacturers supplying fewer than these amounts in the aforementioned timeframe can still apply for a VTA but may prefer to go down the Concessional RAV Entry pathway instead.
Why Choose BTT Engineering for Vehicle Type Approvals?
The team at BTT Engineering have been submitting Vehicle Type Approvals since the RVS legislation has come into force, and prior to that has been a Vehicle certification agency for Identification Plate Approvals under the Motor Vehicle Standards Act. Our team has experience with all types of approvals which combined with our extensive ADR knowledge, testing capabilities and facilities for generating engineering calculations and documentation enables us to provide a comprehensive solution to your needs.
The team at BTT pride themselves on providing clear and easily understood advice with the client's best interests in mind. Once a Vehicle Type Approval has been obtained, BTT will continue to offer support including VIN and RAV assistance as required along with maintenance of existing approvals, such as variations or renewing an expiring approval.
The Vehicle Type Approval process with BTT Engineering
Clients going through the Vehicle Type Approval process with BTT Engineering should expect the following workflow:
Initial discussion of requirements
Client supplies all available existing information to support approval
BTT Engineering to review information and identify any missing or potentially insufficient evidence
BTT liaises with client to determine the client's preferred method of attaining compliance to any ADRs not yet addressed
BTT Engineering arranges for the required ADR evidence to be generated
After being granted Authority to Act in ROVER, BTT submits the Vehicle Type Approval application and handles any subsequent Requests for Information (RFIs) from the ROVER assessment team.
Client obtains Vehicle Type Approval
(optional) BTT provide ongoing support with VIN submission and RAV entry assistance.
Related services that we can help with
For further information on some of our particular ROVER services, please follow the links below: