Type Approval Support

Scania Product Type Approval

Before any vehicle can be registered, it is a European legal requirement that the vehicle is type approved.  To be issued with a type approval, the final vehicle must be in compliance with the necessary system or component approvals listed within Annex IV, Part 1 of the European Directive 2007/46. This Annex lists the relevant items that a vehicle of the relevant category must comply with.  If a vehicle complies with the all the relevant items, then a ‘Whole Vehicle’ Type approval can be issued.  Individual vehicles complying with this ‘Whole Vehicle’ approval are issued with a Certificate of Conformity (COC) confirming compliance.

Certificate of Conformity (COC)

Scania Product is supplied with either a ‘Complete’ or ‘Incomplete’ COC.  Complete COC’s are usually issued to Tractor unit types and provided no further work has been carried out on the vehicle that could affect any of the individual system or component approvals, the vehicle can be registered.  Rigid type vehicles are issued with ‘Incomplete’ COC’s.  Where an incomplete COC is issued, the vehicle will require further work to ‘complete’ the approval and cannot be registered until this is completed.  Final approval can be through the following options:

1. European Whole Vehicle Approval - In this case, the body builder will hold an approval with an EU approval authority which is audited and checked on a regular basis.  The holder may issue a ‘Completed’ COC once the vehicle is deemed to comply with all the required systems and components.

2. National Type Approval - This is the same as 1 above but there are limits on the number of bodies that can be produced on a type of vehicle.  Also, the final product may only be registered in the UK unlike above where the final product can be registered within any EU Member State.

3. Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA) - With this option, a body builder ‘Completes’ the vehicle by building it in compliance with the requirements of the IVA inspection manual.  The vehicle is then presented for a test at a DVSA inspection site where compliance is checked and if confirmed to comply, an IVA certificate is issued for the vehicle.

In all three options above, once the certification has been issued, the vehicle can be registered.

Common reasons for IVA

In some cases, vehicle may be ordered without a COC or, due to the specification, a COC may not be available.  Usually, COC’s are not available when a vehicle does not meet the following requirements:

1. Under 4m high - Under EU law, vehicles may only operate up to a maximum height of 4m.  However, in the UK, we have a dispensation to operate above this height and any vehicle over 4m high, will not be issued with a COC.

2. Manoeuvrability - This applies to 4 axle vehicles. If the vehicle cannot turn 360o within a 12.5m circle, then a COC cannot be issued.  However, the UK has a national dispensation allowing a vehicle with an outer axle wheel spread of more than 6.4m to be exempt from these requirements.

In these cases, vehicles are usually submitted for an IVA test.

How does Sales Engineering assist the Body Builder with the type approval process?

For a Body Builder looking to use either the European Approval Process or the National process, it is necessary for that Body Builder to have a Multi-stage co-operation agreement (MSCA) with Scania.  To obtain this document, the Body Builder must have a full ISO manufacturing accreditation for the EU process and either a full ISO or a Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) approved National accreditation.  These accreditations will show the Body Builder has the necessary Conformity of Production (COP) control in place.  To obtain the MSCA agreement, the Body Builder must contact the Sales Engineering Department who will forward the necessary documentation. This document must be ‘wet’ [RP1] signed and returned together with a copy of either the ISO certificate or the VCA approved National accreditation by post, not E-mail, back to this department.  The information is checked and if all complies, it is forwarded to Scania in Sweden.  Once co-signed by Sweden, the document will be returned to the Body Builder.

Once all the above is completed, the Body Builder will be given access to the approvals section on the Body Builder website.

For the IVA process, it’s not necessary to have an MSCA agreement.  To accompany the applicant’s submission to DVSA for a test, a Statement of Compliance (SOC) is issued. This lists the system and approvals the base vehicle complies with.  Compliance with any missing approval items that the vehicle should comply with is the Body Builders responsibility. The only exception to this may be where compliance with ‘off-road’ requirements is required or if items are missing that should be covered.  SOC’s are issued by the Sales Engineering Department usually to the requesting Dealer or directly to the Body Builder.  If a SOC is required, the request should go to product.engineeringuk@scania.com with the full VIN no of the vehicle.

What else do we do?

Before any vehicle can be ordered, it must be confirmed that it meets UK Authorised Weights Regulations.  To ensure this, controls are created and put in place to prevent non-compliant vehicles being ordered.

End of Series Derogations

From time to time, certain system and component approvals become obsolete and replaced by newer versions.  When this happens, it is no longer possible to register vehicles subject to the older versions.  To enable stocks to be put into service, End of Series Derogations are requested from the Department for Transport.  If approved, affected vehicles are given an extended registration period.

Monitor both European and National future legislation requirements advising Scania Sweden accordingly of any changes likely to affect production.

Advise on any legislation queries from Dealers and Body Builders.

Contact Details

Telephone number:

01908 210 210

Website:

https://www.scania.com/uk/en/home.html

Postal Address:

Sales Engineering
Scania (Great Britain) Limited         
Delaware Drive,
Tongwell,
Milton Keynes,
MK15 8HB

E-mail address:

Product.EngineeringUK@Scania.com