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Safety aspects for tuning attachments on the vehicle!

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Safety aspects for tuning attachments on the vehicle!

Customization add-ons are typically components that are added to a vehicle to improve its performance or appearance. The effects of the parts on the traffic safety however, can be very different. There are a variety of attachments such as Spoiler, frontbumpers, rear wing, fender flares and many more. Spoilers have an aerodynamic impact on a vehicle that can be both positive and negative. They can also change the outer contours of the vehicle, sometimes significantly, and of course they must be permanently installed. Therefore, the large parts in particular need to be tested at high speeds to assess their impact on road safety. For some add-on parts, it is sufficient to check the operational safety statically.

Important factors when selecting attachments and systems

It's important that strength and Breaking behavior of the material from which the attachments are made. Safe assembly and compliance with safety regulations distances to other components are also of great importance. The Functionality of attachments and systems should also be considered as they may be affected. Another important factor is the combinability of attachments with other parts of the vehicle. It is important to check whether the use of a particular attachment will affect other parts of the vehicle.

Safety aspects for tuning attachments on the vehicle!

the following must ensure a tuning part

  • If a towing device is no longer accessible after installation, this can lead to problems.
  • A tuning attachment can have a potential hazard if it is not carried out properly. An example of this is the rear apron or the rear diffuser, which require sufficient clearance for the exhaust system.
  • A different bumper or a sports grill can affect the lighting equipment or various sensors of driving safety systems.
  • A revamp Sliding doors must be constructively coordinated. Only certified conversion kits with Parts approval should be used and installed only by qualified personnel.
  • Also, no one may be harmed or endangered, disabled or harassed more than is unavoidable. That's why towing eyes are only for emergencies, as they can otherwise cause serious damage to people in the event of impacts and accidents.
  • Finally, it is important to note that people must be protected from injury in the event of bumps and accidents, or at least the extent and consequences of injuries must be minimised.

Safety aspects for tuning attachments on the vehicle!

Legal requirements and difficulties in registering attachments:

  • Can I attach a helmet camera ("GoPro" etc.) to the outside of the vehicle and can I use the camera if it is mounted on the outside?
    – This is still a gray area at the moment. If it is not firmly installed, then it can be regarded as a charge. However, depending on the position of the cam on the vehicle, it can become problematic. If someone injures themselves, then the question might be whether the injury would have been as severe without the cam, or whether the degree of injury was increased by the camera. Incidentally, with regard to filming, in our opinion everything which also applies to dashcams.
  • Can you still use a "bull catcher" on the vehicle? And if so, do you have to register it?
    – “Bull catchers” are not strictly forbidden. However, since June 1, 2008, the front protection system has been subject to an EC regulation for the protection of pedestrians. It has been one ever since type approval necessary. Vehicles before this date have, as far as we know, a grandfathering.
  • You can Attachments Made of carbon/GFK from Japan, China, USA etc. without a German/EU certificate?
    – If there are no documents such as a parts approval or similar documents, then this is not possible. At least the strength and/or a risk assessment must be available. Unfortunately, this is rarely the case with parts from countries outside the EU.

Safety aspects when installing add-on parts

The safety of people must always be the priority when installing add-on parts. It is of paramount importance to ensure safety in collisions and crashes by minimizing both the likelihood and severity of injuries. An example of this are airscoops and bonnet latches. It should also be avoided to use radio antennas that have a radius of curvature less than 2,5mm and/or have a rigid base longer than 40mm.

Safety aspects for tuning attachments on the vehicle!

If a motorcyclist is involved in a rear-end collision, an antenna shaped somewhat like a samurai sword could pose a threat to him. It is also advisable, as mentioned above, to only use towing eyes in exceptional cases, as they can pose a significant risk to people's safety in the event of impacts and accidents. Overall, assessing the impact of add-on parts on road safety is difficult due to their variety and complexity.

Of course, that wasn't the end of it.

tuningblog.eu has a lot of other articles on the subject of auto & tuning in stock. Do you want to see them all? Just click HERE and look around. But also planned changes in the law, violations in road traffic, current regulations in the field of STVO or on the subject inspection we would like to inform you regularly. Everything you can find in the category "Test sites, laws, offenses, information". Click on one of the following posts!

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Safety aspects for tuning attachments on the vehicle!

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About Thomas Wachsmuth

Thomas Wachsmuth - He has been an integral part of tuningblog.eu since 2013. His passion for cars is so intense that he invests every available penny in them. While he dreams of a BMW E31 850CSI and a Hennessey 6x6 Ford F-150, he currently drives a rather inconspicuous BMW 540i (G31/LCI). His collection of books, magazines and brochures on the subject of car tuning has now reached such proportions that he himself has become a walking reference work for the tuning scene.  More about Thomas

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