Test Conducted At Automated Testing Stations For Road Fitness Certificate

What is a Vehicle Fitness?

The word fitness is a very important aspect of life. Be it human physical fitness or the fitness of the assets that you own.

Likewise, the vehicle fitness is another necessity these days for its road worthiness. All rules and regulations must be adhered to.

Validity of Vehicle Fitness Certificate:

The vehicle fitness certificate for new private vehicles is valid for 15 years for both petrol and diesel vehicles. However in NCT petrol vehicles can be driven for 15 years and diesel vehicle for 10 years. Both the diesel and petrol vehicles can be issued NOC for re-registration in the state which has conveyed their concurrence regarding the extension. The validity of this re-registration is for 5 years and this can be renewed for another 5 years. The end of life of the vehicle in such state is 20 years. 

For new commercial vehicle fitness certificate is valid for two years; and has to be renewed every year thereafter.

All commercial vehicles need to have a valid vehicle fitness certificate and registration certificate to ply on roads. The rules of The Motor Vehicles Act of 1989 states; registration of the vehicle is valid only if the motor vehicle has a proper vehicle fitness certificate.

Why Vehicle Fitness Certificate is required:

• To check the pollution parameter limits. This is to control environmental pollution due to the smoke emission by vehicles.
• To maintain vehicle in good and appropriate condition for lesser breakdown.
• To avoid road accidents which might occur due to the improper condition of controls and systems of the vehicle.

Tests carried out for vehicle fitness certificate?

PUC Test: Vehicle exhaust are analysed to evaluate the levels of Hydrocarbon (HC), carbon monoxide (CO) and Lambda

Sound level Measurement: This test is to measure the sound level of the vehicle. This is important because it ensures that all sound exposures are below the threshold and safe for human ears.

Speedometer Test: This test is to determine the accuracy of the vehicle’s speedometer. There are two balanced rollers equipped with a speed sensor that monitors the vehicle’s speed.

Side Slip Test: This test is to determine the Drift or side slip. It indicates whether the vehicle is drifting or pulling to one side or the other from a straight line while driving.

Suspension Test: This test simulates on-road conditions, measures and analyses the damping efficiency of the suspension system and its ability to absorb shocks and vibrations. 

Brake Test: A roller brake tester simulates actual road conditions to determine the efficiency of braking system. Other parameters that impact the braking like braking force, ovality, and imbalance between wheels on the same axle are also measured.

Steering turning angle: It’s a computerized machine that can determine the turning angle of the vehicle by rotating the steering wheel to either side.

Axle Play Detector: This test is to identify wear and tear in ball joints, bushings, fixations, pivot points, link bolts, and shock absorber mountings

Head Light Aligner: This test is to check the orientation and intensity of a vehicle headlamp beam to ensure that it meets a minimum standard.

A comprehensive report is generated online. The vehicle gets the fitness certificate when all these tests are passed.