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NEWS
FCAI welcomes design rule harmonisation
Peak body commends federal government for "first step" towards rationalised vehicle standardsThe Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries has issued a short statement today, applauding the federal government for rescinding the Australian Design Rule (ADR) covering mudguard extension specification.
This one minor change to Australia's long and comprehensive list of ADRs brings the local market slightly closer to the United Nations Vehicle Regulations. The FCAI approves of the UN regs as a model for future Aussie vehicle standards. Ending the mudguard extension specification ADR, which the FCAI described as "outdated" in its press release, is indicative of a government committed to aligning ADRs with the UN standard.
"The FCAI looks forward to continuing to work with the Government to identify and support the removal of other outdated and unnecessary Australian Design Rules, which impose additional cost without any safety benefit," FCAI Chief Executive Tony Weber (pictured) was quoted saying in the press release.
But while the FCAI and its chief executive are committed to pruning ADRs of dead wood, they're also averse to ditching ADRs altogether, as Weber and Nissan MD Richard Emery have already explained. Other interested parties have also called for harmonisation of vehicle standards, but few in the industry accept the findings of the Productivity Commission – that liberalising Motor Vehicle Standards Regulations by weakening ADRs would benefit consumers.
In the recent past – before the Productivity Commission had issued its position paper concerning the local automotive industry, the FCAI had engaged industry statistician IHS (formerly RL Polk) to compare pricing of select cars sold here with the same vehicles sold in Britain and New Zealand. It's the FCAI's view – and one shared with prestige importer Mercedes-Benz – that consumers will not see significant monetary gains from abandoning ADRs and freeing up the local market by bringing in grey imports.
If anything, the FCAI argues, the reverse applies.
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Written byCarsales Staff
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