January 21, 2026
The German Federal Motor Transport Authority (Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt, KBA) has designated TÜV SÜD as a Type C Technical Service for the initial access of vehicles and vehicle components from new automotive brands to the EU market. Fundamental regulation for the approval and market surveillance in these cases is EU Regulation 2018/858. As a Designated Body for Type C Technical Service, TÜV SÜD is authorized to audit the management systems relevant for KBA type approval and to monitor ongoing production by conducting conformity of production (CoP) audits. This designation by the KBA enables TÜV SÜD to further expand its global service portfolio for international OEMs, thereby underpinning its leadership position as a third-party service provider in international mobility growth markets.
“Designation as a Type C Technical Service is an important building block in our portfolio of services for OEMs and component manufacturers seeking vehicle approval in the EU market. From now on, we will be assisting customers with all tasks required for type approval by the EU regulations,” says Andreas Schäffler, Head of Approval and Conformity Assessment Bodies in the Mobility Division at TÜV SÜD. As a designated body, TÜV SÜD is now also authorized to audit management systems and safety and security architecture as part of the “Initial Assessment” for entry into the EU market. These audits form the basis for approval by the KBA.
Lights, tires, mirrors, brakes, and many other types of components: Future customers include international manufacturers of vehicles as well as vehicle components. The audits are based on EU regulations governing the approval of vehicles and components in accordance with EU Regulations 2018/858, 167/2013, and 168/2013. The EU market is one of the key markets for new manufacturers of vehicles and components. New brands, particularly from China and India, are crowding into the European Union. “TÜV SÜD can now provide services to OEMs and tier 1 suppliers as their strong partner. With our strong track record of decades of cooperation with academia, policymakers, and authorities, we understand EU processes and requirements and can ensure smooth and fast approval procedures. For manufacturers, this is a real money saver. The Asian markets will be a particular focus for us from the outset. We have a high public profile there, and our Octagon quality mark is well known,” says Schäffler.
What is involved?
Customers seeking third-party certification initially contact the TÜV SÜD experts and, as a first step, submit their existing quality management documentation. The TÜV SÜD experts then draw up a gap analysis, providing the customer with initial guidance on areas where revisions might be necessary. In this process, TÜV SÜD not only reviews the documentation, but also inspects the production on site and gathers additional data about the company, including its reputation. This is followed by the actual audit in accordance with DIN EN ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015, which serves as the basis for KBA approval.
What steps are taken to ensure compliance is upheld after five years?
One of the responsibilities of a Type C Technical Service is to conduct conformity of production audits (known as COP clearance). For this purpose, on-site management-system re-audits are performed at defined intervals, in most cases at least every three years (vehicles and components). Ongoing production is monitored for compliance with the original approval criteria by both the approval holder and the type-approval authorities. In this context, manufacturers also need to demonstrate the existence of a continual improvement process (CIP) to further enhance the management system.
A manufactures at B
It is common for manufacturers that are already approved for the market to rely on external companies for certain components. In the case of new companies, the “A manufactures at B” rule applies. Under this rule, A is responsible for ensuring compliance with the relevant EU regulations and is entitled to inspect B’s production facilities and review their documentation.
So how does this work in the case of mergers?
If a company that is already approved merges with a partner that is new to the EU market, it will naturally try to ensure that the market approval criteria are also met by the partner. Additional audits are therefore initially unnecessary unless there are objections from the KBA or other testing organizations.
Currently, more than 4,500 such “approval holders” are registered with the KBA, all awaiting market approval. As a Designated Body, the experts at TÜV SÜD guide vehicle and component manufacturers through the entire type-approval process with the KBA. To do so, they assess the system architecture based on the documents submitted by the manufacturers, such as the documents describing the management systems. The experts audit the management systems, prepare certification, and carry out any necessary additional tests inhouse or in external facilities. The process is concluded by comprehensive reports which form the basis for type approval at KBA.
“Gaining KBA designation is just the first step for us. Next year, countries such as Sweden, Ireland, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands are expected to follow. This will allow us to support manufacturers who are seeking initial market entry in these countries,” explains Andreas Schäffler.
Press contact: Vincenzo Lucá
