The traffic police will tighten control over tuning and structural alterations

A draft resolution has been submitted to the government of the Russian Federation that defines the procedure for monitoring changes made to the design of cars after their registration. However, the new procedure will not drastically make life easier for lovers of “improving”. Which, in general, is correct.

Cars leave the assembly line fully adapted for operation, and in the vast majority of cases they do not require any artisanal modifications. However, some craftsmen cannot help but put their crazy hands to such an object provoking irrepressible fantasies as a car.

You don’t have to go far for samples of “collective farm” tuning - these are muffler tips, and deaf tinting, and “gypsy” xenon. Naturally, in a normal person, these tricks cause a natural reaction - to ban! But it happens, although rarely, that the installation of equipment not provided by the manufacturer is really justified. An example is specially prepared SUVs or cars that have been "taught" to run on gas. Attaching a towbar or screwing in a larger fuel tank also means making changes to the design.

Since there is absolutely no reason to provoke every oncoming and transverse car owner to “improve” his car, and also based on elementary concern for traffic safety, the procedure for obtaining a permit will not be easy. However, it should be spelled out in detail in principle in order to exclude possible abuses.

The project prescribes the following algorithm for the legalization of constructive changes. First you need to pass a preliminary technical examination in the testing laboratory and get a conclusion. Then the car service carries out the installation of equipment. After completion of the work, the laboratory conducts another examination, drawing up a protocol for checking the safety of the vehicle structure. At the end of the ordeal, the happy owner of the converted car passes an inspection, takes with him a permit, a declaration of work performed, a protocol and goes to the traffic police for the final conclusion.

Refusal to register may follow in several cases - for example, if the research laboratory is not included in the special register of the Customs Union, or forgery was found in the submitted documents. An obstacle to obtaining registration will also be the fact that the vehicle or its units are on the wanted list, restrictions imposed on the vehicle by the court on the performance of registration actions, or, finally. detected signs of counterfeit factory identification markings.

The list of unacceptable actions includes changing the permitted maximum weight and replacing the car body or chassis. On the other hand, no approval is required when installing parts designed by the manufacturer for this vehicle or when making series modifications to the design.

There are, of course, fears that traffic police officers will not be satisfied with their controlling functions and will try to get into technical details. Vice-President of the National Automobile Union Anton Shaparin commented on the draft resolution to Kommersant:

— Employees of the testing laboratory have the appropriate qualifications and knowledge, they must check the safety of the structure and issue conclusions. The inspector does not understand this, he should simply check the documents.