What is a type approval?

A type approval proves that a vehicle or a component type meets the applicable technical requirements. In Sweden, the Swedish Transport Agency is the approval authority. An international type approval granted by one EU member state is recognized by EU Member States.

A system is an assembly of devices combined to perform
one or more specific functions in a vehicle and which is subject
to the requirements of any of the regulatory acts. A system constitutes an essential part of the vehicle which in general cannot be detached in separate components, for example a braking system.

A component is a device subject to the requirements of
a regulatory act and intended to be part of a vehicle, which
may be type approved independently of a vehicle where the
regulatory act makes express provisions for so doing. A component is a part of a vehicle that can be detached or installed in the vehicle and type approved individually, such as headlamps.

A separate technical unit is a device subject to the requirements of a regulatory act and intended to be part of a vehicle, which may be type approved separately, but only in relation to one or more specified types of vehicle where the regulatory act makes express provisions for so doing. An example of this is an underrun protection.

The type approval can be international or national

The type approval may be:

• international, which means it is granted according to a directive (EC type approval or e-type approval) or with the ECE regulations (ECE type approval)
• national, which means it is granted in accordance with national regulations or regulations.

EC type approval for whole vehicles applies to

• passenger cars, including buses - category M
• light and heavy trucks - category N
• trailers - category O
• two- or three-wheel vehicles and quadricycles - category L
• agricultural and forestry tractors - category T.

For other vehicles, each Member State has its own national approval.

EC type approval means type approvals in accordance with the following type approval directives (so-called framework directives):

• directive 2018/858/EC on the type approval of motor vehicles and their trailers
• directive 167/2013 / EC on the type approval of wheeled agricultural or forestry tractors or in accordance with the separate directive issued under these three framework directives.
• directive 168/2013/EC on the type approval of two or three-wheel motor vehicles
• 2016/1628 Non Road Mobile Machinery

ECE type approval refers to the type approval granted under the provisions of the 1958 Agreement (Geneva, 20 March 1958). The regulations were created in 1958 by the United Nations.

National type approval means type approval which is limited to use in Sweden. There is the possibility of nationally type approved vehicles, systems, components or separate technical units.