Post-inspection to not lower vehicle inspection standards

(HNMO) - The need for a post-inspection mechanism so that units do not dare to lower technical standards when inspecting cars is the viewpoint raised by Dr. Chu Manh Hung, former Deputy Director of the Department of Science, Technology and Environment (Ministry of Transport) regarding the Government's new regulation allowing maintenance and repair facilities to participate in car inspection.

The government allows maintenance facilities to participate in car inspection (illustrative photo).

In Decree No. 30/2023/ND-CP amending and supplementing Decree No. 139/2018/ND-CP on motor vehicle inspection services, which was recently issued by the Government on June 8, 2023 (effective immediately), maintenance and repair facilities are allowed to participate in automobile inspection. However, automobile maintenance and repair facilities that want to be licensed for inspection must have sufficient conditions such as premises, equipment, human resources, etc. according to the regulations on establishing inspection units.

According to Dr. Chu Manh Hung, this regulation has a positive impact in that it helps reduce the burden on current inspection stations; ensuring the frequency of vehicle inspection is linked to maintenance cycles. The participation of maintenance facilities in inspection work has been done very effectively in some countries.

However, it is important that we manage quality standards to ensure technical safety for vehicles. These maintenance facilities must be responsible for their products when they are put on the road and there must be a mechanism to hold these facilities accountable to avoid the situation where facilities work arbitrarily, compete unfairly, attract customers by being lenient, skipping steps in the inspection process, and not being strict with criteria on technical safety and environmental protection. Therefore, the role of competent authorities in inspection, control and post-control is very important so that facilities do not dare to lower technical standards.

Affirming support for this policy, however, according to the Chairman of the Vietnam Automobile Transport Association Nguyen Van Quyen, this is not easy to implement immediately, because according to regulations, automobile maintenance and repair facilities that want to be licensed for inspection must have sufficient conditions such as premises, equipment, inspection staff... according to the standards of an inspection station. Currently, most of these facilities are concentrated in large cities, while here, the premises are often limited, the existing area is only enough to meet the warranty and maintenance work chain. Therefore, there will not be many warranty and maintenance facilities that are qualified to "encroach" on inspection services. If any place meets these conditions, it will take time to prepare and be assessed by the management agency, so it cannot be done quickly.

In addition, some experts believe that a series of circulars regulating exemptions and extensions of inspection periods for new cars, family cars, or increasing inspection service prices... have been applied, causing the number of cars requiring inspection to decrease in the coming time. These are factors that force repair and maintenance facilities to consider whether or not to participate in providing car inspection services. Because the goal of businesses is profit.

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